CLANLIFE
by Azzie-chan
Summary: [Skip the New Prophecy] Both Firestar and Greystar have passed away, but a new threat has arrived in the forest forcing the cats of Thunderclan, lead by the brave Lionstar, to fight. Little do they know this threat is the most sinister yet...
1. Boneclan!

**CLANLIFE**

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finaly were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead. _

_Our story begins one moon later. _

**BONECLAN! - Thunderpath - Sunhigh **

"Darkpaw!" Called Mudpaw, tail twitching impatiently as he waited for his fellow apprentice to catch up. When he did he leaped out of the undergrowth onto the hot surface of the Thunderpath.

"That isn't safe," Pointed out the she-cat, licking her paw from where she stood hidden safely in the undergrowth.

"You're the one who wanted to see what ShadowClan looks like. You've seen RiverClan while we were helping with the renovations and WindClan while we were going to Mothermouth, so you have to see ShadowClan." Said Mudpaw, making his was nonchalantly across the path.

"MUDPAW! Look out!"

Suddenly a monster roared past and something hard and furry shoved him into the middle of the Thunderpath. On either side of them metallic two-legs machined roared past them, paying no mind to the two cats huddled in the middle of the road.

"Lionstar is going to kill you!" Ranted the she-cat, "I can't believe how the apprentice of such a noble cat can be so mouse-brained!"

Mudpaw laughed. "But we made it. Come on, we're already halfway there!"

Darkpaw shook her head. "There is no was you'll ever make me go over there. Not in our life!"

"You're going to have to cross back over the path to get back anyways. This was your idea, after all."

"Oh, fine. I'll come."

The two cats hurried across the remainder of the hot trail and stopped in the brambles running along the ShadowClan boarder. Darkpaw was the first of the two apprentices to realize that something was wrong.

"I don't smell any ShadowClan..." She said, scenting the air. Mudpaw did the same and sure enough the air smelled different, not like ShadowClan at all. The young she-cat suddenly let out a squeal of surprise and pain as another cat leaped at her. Mudpaw hissed and knocked the cat off her back. By its scent he could tell it was not ShadowClan, or of any other Clan he knew.

"Mudpaw, help!"

Mudpaw looked up, wondering what is friend wanted now. She was currently battling another cat, this one a white and orange tom. Suddenly something slashed his underbelly and he looked back down to see his own opponent, a flame-colored tom, slashing at his underbelly with his back paws.

To protect himself, Mudpaw leaped off the cat and backed away, hissing angrily. The two cats circled each other for a few moments, then leaped. They met in mid-air and fell to the ground, hissing and spitting as they clawed at each other. All of a sudden the orange tom was pulled away from him and Mudpaw looked up to see Tigerclaw holding the young tom back. He turned and saw Lionstar holding the older cat who had been fighting Darkpaw to the ground.

"What," Demanded Tigerclaw, "Do you think you're doing?"

"We'll deal with this back in camp. We're going to have to take these cats prisoner." Said Lionstar, knocking his cat out with a blow to the side of the head. Tigerclaw did the same to his prisoner and the four ThunderClan cats made their way back to the camp in silence.

"What did you two think you were doing? I am especially disappointed in you, Darkpaw. I don't understand why you would ever do something so mouse-brained."

They were in Lionstar's den and the Clan leader was lecturing the two apprentices about the importance of staying in the Clan territory. Darkpaw had already tried countless times to explain that it was all Mudpaw's fault, but to no avail.

"Now for your punishment. I think you two should have to stay in the camp and take care of our prisoners, instead of training. This will go on until I believe I can trust you two again, even if you're both elders by then. Now go."

Tails between their legs, Mudpaw and Darkpaw left Lionstar's den.

"I can't believe you made me do something so stupid!" Complained Darkpaw. "Now I'll never get to be a warrior and it's all your fault!"

"I guess we're not going to the next Gathering..." Muttered Mudpaw.

"Of course we're not, and it's your fault!" Snapped Darkpaw, then hopped to her paws and stormed away.

Mudpaw shook his head, annoyed by the she-cat's attitude.

"Hey, Mudpaw. What's wrong with your girlfriend?"

Mudpaw turned to see Cloudypaw and Greypaw standing behind him. Both were bigger then he was, and also older. They made much of their superior age, although it was no secret that they envied Mudpaw for his mentor.

He got up and turned away from the two bigger toms. "Go away, you two."

"Aww. Did little Darkpaw break up with you?" Cooed Cloudypaw. Before Mudpaw could answer a yowl echoed from across the clearing. It was the younger cat whom Mudpaw had been fighting in ShadowClan territory.

Mudpaw ran over to see what was going on, closely followed by Cloudypaw and Greypaw. The three ThunderClan apprentices joined the crowd that had assembled around the two cats. The younger one was standing back, ears flattened to his skull while the bigger one faced off against Patchpelt. The she-cat was known for getting herself in trouble and the realization that she was a warrior brightened Mudpaw's spirits.

Hissing, the two cats circled each other, ears flattened.

"Patchpelt! Leave our prisoners alone!" Spat Mistyfur, shouldering her way into the heart of the crowd. Patchpelt nodded and slinked out of the group, back to the warriors den. Meanwhile Mistyfur turned back to the warrior and studied him for a moment.

"What is your name?" She demanded.

The cat hissed. "None of your business."

With a quick wave of her paw, a cut appeared across the warrior's face, blood dribbling down from his nose.

"I'm Swiftkill. This is my apprentice, Fangpaw." He said quickly and nervously, obviously uneasy about behind surrounded by such a large group of enemy warriors.

"Alright, Swiftkill, what Clan do you come from. It is clear you are not ShadowClan. Explain." Commanded the ThunderClan deputy, staring down at Swiftkill with cold green eyes.

"No."

Mistyfur swiped his face again and more blood dripped to the ground. The warrior backed away, pressing himself to the ground as if he wished he could simply be swallowed up.

"I- We are from BoneClan. We come from the mountains up north, but it has been getting colder lately so we moved south, into what you call 'ShadowClan territory'. They put up resistance, but we drove them out. BoneClan has its ways." He flashed a toothy grin, proud of the strength of his Clan.

Mistyfur nodded slowly. "I see. You will sleep next to the warriors den, over there." She said, motioning to the den. "Your companion will sleep with you, but during the day I will be his mentor. All prey he catches will go into our fresh-kill pile and he will be accompanied at all times. While he is in the camp, Darkpaw will take care of him. Otherwise Mudpaw will have the honor of looking after you."

Swiftkill nodded, afraid to protest.

"Good." With a flick of the deputy's tail the crowd broke up, all padding away to talk among themselves or go out for their duties.

Mudpaw was commanded to go find some moss for the BoneClan cats to sleep on.

When he finished his task he padded back to the apprentices den and fell asleep.

**AN: **

****

_I wrote this last year and it took a while to do but I like how it turned out. I've already finished it and am starting on the sequil. The first chapter may not be very exciting but I promise you this story is filled with bloody battles, love, tragic deaths, claws made of bone and a desperate attempt to save both the world of the living and the world of the dead. _


	2. The Gathering

**CLANLIFE**

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finaly were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead. Our story begins one moon later._

**THE GATHERING - Fourtrees - Moonhigh**

Lionstar, Amberheart, Greyclaw, Tigerclaw, Daytail, Cloudypaw and Greypaw padded up the slope towards the four towering trees. They padded into the clearing where WindClan and RiverClan were already assembled. There was no sign of ShadowClan. The cats spit as they arrived, all padding away to different cats whom they had become friends with.

Cloudypaw and Greypaw made their way to a group of cats that consisted of themselves, three RiverClan apprentices known as Smoothpaw, Dustpaw and Featherpaw, as well as a WindClan apprentice, Quickpaw. Being the only she-cat in their clique, Featherpaw was often the highlight of the group's conversations. These were the 'cool cats' of the apprentices. They met each Gathering and talked about Clan duties and laughed at cats with lower social status.

The six cats were deep in a conversation about how stupid Mudpaw and his 'girlfriend' were when eight cats padded into the clearing. They all had the same scent as the prisoners Cloudypaw had already described to his companions, and all six cats knew instantly who they were; BoneClan!

Leading them was a big black she-cat with huge metallic claws that didn't appear retractable. Behind her walked four cats that appeared to be warriors and three apprentices. The warriors group consisted of a thin white tom with big, dark blue eyes; a tortishell tom with six toes on each paw; a bright flame-colored she-cat and a light grey she-cat with stripes of darker grey. As for the three apprentices, they all held their heads high, looking around at the assembled cats with a superior era. Among them was a small white tom and two she-cats. One pale and grey, the other black with grey stripes. They stood close to each other, obviously siblings.

As their Clan split up to chat with the other cats the three apprentices padded over to the clique. Feeling challenged by the presence of other she-cats, Featherpaw stood up. Quickpaw and Greypaw stood too, growling at the tom and his companions.

The threesome didn't seem to take offense to their hostile behavior and shot them a toothy grin that seemed more evil then friendly.

"Hello." He began. "I'm Tearpaw who-" But Greypaw raised a paw, ready to deliver a smack to the tom's head when a voice sounded from atop the Great Rock. The Gathering was beginning.

"Welcome, Clan cats of the forest." It was the she-cat leader of BoneClan speaking. From below the cats glared at her, expressing their hostility through growls and hisses. The she-cat simply ignored them and went on. "I am Metalstar, leader of BoneClan. I come from up north where it is now too cold for my Clan to survive. Your 'ShadowClan' failed to understand your needs and was driven from their territory."

Her speech was met with yowls of protest from the assembled crowd. "You can't drive them out!" and "ShadowClan has shared this forest with us for generations!"

Metalstar shook her head. "My cats, you don't understand either; change is good!"

The voices of disapproval were drowned out by BoneClan's yowls of approval and acceptance. Once the noise died down, Metalstar continued, "Now, on to more serious matters. Two of our cats, one warrior and one apprentice, have been catnapped by ThunderClan. We will ask you kindly now if you would return them to us." She turned to Lionstar, giving the tom a stern look.

Lionstar met her eyes without flinching and took a step forwards. "ThunderClan will return your cats on one condition; you leave ShadowClan territory and never come back."

"Never." Snapped Metalstar. "For I have a condition for you; you give them back or you will suffer the same fate as ShadowClan."

"ThunderClan will not be as easy to dispose of as ShadowClan was. Your threats mean nothing; you will not get your cats back"  
With an angry yowl Metalstar hopped down from the rock and padded out of the clearing, her Clan following at her heels.

"You'll be sorry, Lionstar!" She spat.

At that moment a cloud covered the moon.

Cloudypaw and Greypaw padded over to join their Clan at the edge of the clearing. Together ThunderClan padded back down, across the stream and back to the Clan camp in silence.

**AN: **

_I can't change the character names here, but I'll try to make them more interesting in the sequel. It's called ALCHEMICAL (you'll know why later) and it's the story of Metalstar from her birth to the end of CLANLIFE. The link to the site Spottedear gave me didn't show up, but I already knew it. My warrior name is Brambleface and my Clan is Thunderclan (my Azzie alias's name is Hawktail and Cheese's is Wildnose XD). _

_I know this chapter is terribly short. In the futur I will try to add some to the ones like this. _


	3. Under Attack

**CLANLIFE**

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finaly were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead. Our story begins one moon later._

**UNDER ATTACK - Sunning Rocks - Sunrise**

Lionstar and the ThunderClan cats returned from the Gathering to find that all the warriors were gone. He arrived at Snowtail's den and barged in, demanding to know what was going on. The ThunderClan medicine cat looked up calmly.

"They went to Sunning Rocks; Mistyfur sent a few cats on dawn patrol and they discovered RiverClan there. I got Darkpaw and Mudpaw to stay, but they seemed very reluctant about it. I wish you would let them help out C-"

"They are helping, Snowtail. They're looking after our prisoners and guarding the camp while the others are off at the battle." Said Lionstar reassuringly, then padded back into the camp. He hopped up onto the Highrock and called the cats to assemble.

"The others are off fighting RiverClan at Sunning Rocks. I want Amberheart to go and report to me how they are doing, then I will decide if they need reinforcements." He informed his Clan calmly. "Go now."

"Yes sir." Said Amberheart, bobbing her head. She turned and ran from the crowd, out towards Sunning Rocks.

Amberheart stopped at the edge of the small clearing and looked out onto the battle. Closest to her was Patchpelt who was fighting the RiverClan deputy, Stonefur. The two cats clawed each other angrily and every time when it seemed like one of them had the upper hand something would happen to shift the scale. Amberheart was surprised at the troublesome warrior's talent.

Looking around, Amberheart observed that ThunderClan was winning. There were fewer RiverClan warriors then ThunderClan and the RiverClan ones looked more exhausted and beat-up.  
Glad to see that her Clan was winning, Amberheart dashed back to the Clan camp to share the news with Lionstar. As she ran she thought she caught sight of something orange running towards the battle, but when she looked it was gone. When she arrived she saw that Swiftkill and Fangpaw weren't there. Alarmed, she hurried over and found Lionstar in his den.

"Lionstar! Fangpaw and Swiftkill are gone!"

He hopped to his paws, obviously alarmed. "Go find Greyclaw and Tigerstripe. Get them to help you search. I'll stay here and look after the Clan." He said, following her out of the den.

"Greyclaw, you go towards Snakerocks and follow along the edge of the Thunderpath, Tigerstripe will search over near Fourtrees and I'll head over to Sunning Rocks." Said Amberheart, looking around at the two other cats chosen to search for the BoneClan prisoners.

The three cats spilt up, heading off to search in their assigned directions. Amberheart sniffed the ground as she padded towards Sunning Rocks. She could hear the distant sounds of battle as well as the quiet splashing of the river.  
Finally she caught the scent of BoneClan and looked up to check her direction. The scent trail seemed to head of towards Fourtrees. Amberheart frowned. She had expected the cats to go to the battle and help RiverClan fight, that or go back to ShadowClan territory, but why would they go to Fourtrees?

Curious, Amberheart padded towards the four towering trees where she had been not even an hour ago. Every once in a while the ThunderClan warrior would lean down and scent the ground again. She reached the stream and looked up. Ahead of her she could see Fourtrees, although she could see nothing past the large trunks of the trees. Quickening her pace, Amberheart sprinted across the stream, up the hill and back to Fourtrees.

She stopped at the edge of the glade and padded slowly into the clearing. Under the great rock. She recognized Swiftkill and his apprentice immediately, and the other cat. She remembered having seen him somewhere.

The wind shifted direction and a gasp escaped the Siamese warrior. The cat talking to the two BoneClan cats was none other then Tallstar, the WindClan leader!

The three cats looked up, having heard the breath escape the warrior. It wasn't fear that held her glued to the spot, but the knowledge that if she ran back to tell Lionstar she would be leading two fully capable warriors and a half-trained apprentice into a virtually unguarded camp of exhausted cats.

Tallstar hissed and with a twitch of the WindClan leader's tail the two BoneClan cats were upon her. Hissing and spitting, Amberheart struggled to free herself from the claws of her opponents but to no avail. Thorn-sharp claws dug into her side and she yowled and twisted, scratching at Fangpaw's face. The young tom snarled and scratched back at hers, but with a blow to the side she managed to knock him off. Swiftkill flipped her onto her back and held her like that. With the BoneClan warrior standing over her, Amberheart felt small and weak.

Suddenly a light was blasted at the three fighting cats and she felt Swiftkill release her. This must be what it was like to die, she thought. Her eyes closed and she found she could no longer muster the strength to open them.

Back at Sunning Rocks the tables had turned. The cats at Fourtrees had joined in the battle and ThunderClan was getting tiered out. After their rude awakening it felt as if they hadn't even slept at all.

Finally Mistyfur threw off the warrior attacking her and took a few steps back, hackles raised. "ThunderClan, retreat! There will be time to win back this land later; in the meantime we have to rest!"

Yowls of protests met the ThunderClan deputy's words, but she ignored them and stumbled away from the battlefield, back into the forest.

The cats quieted down and followed, tails between their legs. Behind them, the victorious shouts of RiverClan could be heard. Sunning Rocks was theirs.

Mistyfur heard Cloudfoot pad up beside her. "Since before the time of Bluestar we have been able to protect Sunning Rocks from them. This is a sign. Perhaps it is the time of change." Said the warrior.

Mistyfur rounded on him, knocking the tom to the ground with a blow of her paw. "This BoneClan is wrong. ShadowClan must come back." She spat, then continued her way back to camp.

Cloudfoot glared at his deputy and got back to his paws, falling in at the end of the line of ThunderClan cats.

Mistyfur sighed; Cloudfoot was right about one thing, Sunning Rocks had belonged to ThunderClan since before Bluestar had even been born. Despite the countless times RiverClan had tried to claim it, ThunderClan had managed to protect their land. If it had been Lionstar fighting that battle she knew he would have won. She wished she could speak to StarClan about this, but it was only leaders that could go to the Moonstone and share dreams with StarClan.

The ThunderClan deputy looked up to the fading stars and sighed. "Are you trying to tell me I am not fit to be leader?"

One star twinkled, then faded into the early morning sky.


	4. Kittypets?

**CLANLIFE**

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finaly were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead. _

_Our story begins one moon later. _

**KITTY-PETS? - Two-legs Place - Early Morning **

The news had already spread to every two-legs nest in the area that there was a wild cat at Princess's nest. The she-cat was worried about this, and especially frightened that it might hurt her kits, who, if they had been Clan cats, would be receiving their apprentice names shortly.

Unlike their mother, Stella and Midnight were more curious about the cat that had been placed on the couch this morning and hadn't moved since. Every once in a while she would twitch and mutter something about 'Lionstar' or 'BoneClan'. Otherwise she was both silent and immobile.

It was that morning when the two-legs had rode away in their metal monsters to wherever they went when the Siamese wildcat's eyes finally opened.

-----

When Amberheart awoke the first thing she realized was that she was not dead. She rolled over and stretched, suddenly realizing how badly the BoneClan cats had hurt her. BoneClan! She had to go tell Lionstar! She hopped to her paws, accidentally knocking one of two cats staring intently at her off the couch. They both smelled like two-legs. In fact, everything in this place smelled like two-legs. With a quick look around Amberheart realized that she was trapped in a two-legs nest.

"The wild cat's attacking us!" Squealed the black tom she had knocked on the floor.

A moment later a sand-colored she-cat appeared in the doorway of the small room in which Amberheart stood.

The she-cat hissed and in one leap landed on the couch's arm rest. "Get away from my kits!" She spat, hackled raised. Amberheart copied the kitty-pet's stance easily. Outraged, the she-cat leaped and the two met in mid-air. They fell together to the soft surface of the couch beneath them and twisted around, clawing and hissing.

"Ma! Ma!" Squealed the kits excitedly.

After a few minutes, Amberheart managed to throw the angry she-cat off of her. "Where am I?" She demanded.

"Princess's nest. I am Princess and these are my kits, Midnight and Stella. Who are you?" Demanded the kitty-pet queen.

"I am Amberheart, a warrior of ThunderClan." She replied, relaxing her muscles. "You fight well, for a kitty-pet."

"I fight to protect my family." Spat Princess, her eyes cold with hostility. It would clearly take a while to get these cats to like her.

"How did I get here?" Demanded Amberheart.

"The two-legs were out walking their bark-pets-" Answered Princess, but Amberheart cut her off.

"Bark-pets?" she asked, never having heard of them.

"You know; those things that are always growling or barking about something?" Sighed an impatient Princess.

"Oh yes. I know." Said Amberheart quickly.

"Well the two-legs were taking them over to Druid's Hollow, it's what the two-legs call that place with four trees," she said before Amberheart could ask, "and they saw three cats fighting. Two of them ran away, but one was too hurt to move so they brought her, or you, back here."

Amberheart nodded slowly. "So how do you get out?"

"Oh, we don't like to get out..." Said Princess slowly, looking slightly uneasy. "I'm going to get something to eat. Come, kittens." With that she hopped down from the couch and the two kittens followed.

Amberheart hopped down after them, suddenly realizing how hungry she was. Rumor had it that kitty-pets ate hard, tasteless chunks, but she had never tried any for herself.

The kitty-pets crowded around a small, red bowl. After a few minutes, Stella stepped back and began to groom herself. Amberheart took her place beside the bowl. Inside was a pile of brown slop. It smelled good, but not like the fresh-kill she ate in the forest. She leaned down and took a chunk in her mouth. It was actually very good, she thought, taking another chunk.

Together the cats cleaned out the bowl and Princess walked away for a nap, leaving Amberheart alone with her two kits.

"Ma says there's no way out, but there is. She just doesn't like going out because Da ran away from his two-legs and is scared to come back. She's made at him now and doesn't want to see him." Explained Stella.

"But we can show you the way out. It's easy to get there and a lot of fun!" Exclaimed Midnight. He turned towards a stairway heading down and hopped onto the first stair, running to the bottom. Stella followed and Amberheart, excited at the idea of getting out and telling Lionstar about BoneClan and WindClan, hurried after them.

It was dark at the bottom and it took a few moments for Amberheart's eyes to adjust. She felt low, as if she had fallen down underground.

"Come on!" Called Midnight. She could make out his black form in the darkness, a few jumps away. Quickly she hurried over to join him and Stella. They padded into another room with a very small window in the top corner.

Stella hopped up onto a desk, then up onto the windowsill. She hit a button with her paw and the glass covering the window moved upwards, revealing an opening to the outside. She slipped through and Midnight followed. Excited, Amberheart leaped onto the desk, then up onto the sill. She slipped through the opening and drank in the smells of the wild. It seemed like she had been trapped in that awful place forever!

The two kits padded over to a fence, leaped up onto it and hopped over onto the other side. Willingly, Amberheart followed. She recognized the place where she now stood as the two-legs place just outside of ThunderClan territory.

By scenting the air she realized that the dawn patrol had just passed, a little late because of the battle at Sunning Rocks, she guessed.

"Thank you for letting me out," She said to the kits. "Goodbye."

She was about to bound away into the forest when Stella called, "Wait!"

Amberheart sighed and turned around to face them. "What?"

"Can we come with you? Ma is boring; we want to be real cats." Said the she-kit.

"But-"

"Yah, like the ones old Snapbone tells stories about." Added Midnight.

"He tells us about the ancient Clans, LionClan and TigerClan and also the Clans now. He told us about the old ThunderClan leader, Firestar." Said Stella excitedly.

"And you said that you were from ThunderClan, so maybe we can join!" Exclaimed Midnight.

Amberheart sighed. Despite her doubts, these kits seemed to be well-educated about the Clans. "What about Princess?"

"Oh, she won't care. There's nothing she can do against Clan cats. She wouldn't dare!" Giggled Stella.

"Okay, I'll take you to Lionstar, but you have to catch some fresh-kill first." She said. "I'll show you how."

-----

The three cats padded into ThunderClan camp, each of them holding a peice of dead prey in their mouth. By the time they had padded over to the fresh kill pile and disposed of their fresh-kill, almost every eye in the camp was upon them.

Ignoring the stares of her Clan-mates, Amberheart padded over to Lionstar's den and called for her leader. He padded out of his den, eyeing the kitty-pets, confused.

"What is this, Amberheart?" He asked sternly, looking from the young kitty-pets to his warrior.

"It's a long story. I'll explain later, but they want to join ThunderClan. They're young and will make fine apprentices. They even caught some fresh-kill on the way-"

"Amberheart. We do not welcome kitty-pets into our Clan." Sighed Lionstar.

"But, Lionstar! You don't understand, they-"

Lionstar cut her off, "Amberheart, if you can find someone who will take one of them as an apprentice by the end of the day, I will let them stay. If not..."

"I understand." She said.

"Good. Go get something to eat, then come back and tell me what happened. The kitty-pets can stay in my den for the time being."

"Yes sir."

It was late afternoon by the time Amberheart had finished her story. Lionstar listened attentively through the whole thing, nodding as she explained to him what it was like in the two-legs nest. When she finished he simply nodded and dismissed her to go find a mentor for one of the kitty-pet kits. Shocked and annoyed at the fact that her leader seemed so calm about everything, Amberheart stormed off to the warriors den.

Inside she found Coldpelt and Orangestripe arguing about battle tactics and the loss of Sunning Rocks. When she entered both warriors looked up at her.

"I heard your story, and about the apprentices." Said Coldpelt. His voice sent a shiver down Amberheart's spine. Coldpelt was an old, battle scarred tom. He had been named a warrior a few days after Amberheart had been born. He was one of the oldest warriors in the Clan and a much respected cat.

Amberheart nodded a greeting to the old tom and turned to Orangestripe. He had no apprentice, although Amberheart wasn't sure if the tom was really thrilled to get one.

"Orangestripe, I was wondering if you wanted an apprentice. I brought two new cats to the Clan today and-"

"I heard. No, I don't want a kitty-pet as an apprentice. Go find Patchpelt. She'd be thrilled to get a dead mouse!" The two older warriors laughed, then went back to their conversation.

Annoyed, Amberheart stormed out of the den. She didn't want to give either of them to Patchpelt. Despite the young warrior's good fighting skills, she doubted the cat was ready to take on an apprentice.

"Amberheart!"

Amberheart looked up to see Greyclaw hurrying across the clearing towards her.

"Hey, I heard about WindClan and the kits. Are you alright?" Asked the grey warrior, nuzzling his friend.

Amberheart pulled away. "Yah, yah. I'm fine. I need to find-" Then she remembered that Greyclaw didn't have an apprentice yet. "Greyclaw, would you like to mentor one of the kits?"

Greyclaw nodded. "I'd love to!"

"Great, I'll go tell Lionstar."


	5. Welcome to Thunderclan

**CLANLIFE**

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finaly were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead._

**WELCOME TO THUNDERCLAN - Highrock - Sunset **

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

Lionstar's voice rang out across the clearing of ThunderClan camp. Cats returning from hunting and apprentice training joined the ready-present cats under the great rock. When the Clan had gathered Lionstar began.

"Today I am going to appoint two new warriors as well as two new apprentices. Midnight and Stella have been kitty-pets all their lives. They have, however, learned about the Clans from the mad ex-deputy of WindClan." With a twitch of his tail he summoned Midnight up to the Highrock. "From now until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Shadowpaw. Amberheart, you were once Firestar's own apprentice. He has trained you well and I hope that you will pass on all you have learned from our leader who now rests in StarClan to Shadowpaw."

Shadowpaw hopped down from the rock and touched noses with Amberheart. "Good luck." She said to him. Her apprentice's eyes were shining with hope and excitement and Amberheart hoped that he would grow to be a great warrior like Firestar someday, for the dead ThunderClan leader was also once a kitty-pet.

Again Lionstar twitched his tail. This time Stella hopped up onto the rock. "From now until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Hopepaw. Greyclaw, you were once a loner and have never had a mentor in our Clan, but I hope you will pass on the knowledge of forest life and the strength granted to you by StarClan to this young apprentice."

Hopepaw hopped down from the rock and padded over to her mentor. They touched noses and Greyclaw gave her a friendly nudge, then they both looked back up to the Highrock.

"Now, we also have two apprentices who are ready for their warrior names. Cloudypaw and Greypaw have trained under the watchful eyes of Daytail and Coldpelt. They have proved themselves to be talented warriors who will serve ThunderClan well. Cloudypaw, from this day on you will be known as Cloudysky. Greypaw, from this day on you will be known as Greysong."

The two cats leaped down from the rock and let the other cats congratulate them while Mudpaw and Darkpaw glared at the two warriors.

"At least they won't be able to bother us." Mudpaw pointed out half-heartedly.

"But now we're going to have to share the den with these kitty-pets!" Snapped Darkpaw, storming off into the apprentices den.

Cloudysky sat next to Greysong, guarding the camp in silence. They could hear the sounds of the cats moving around in their sleep and the occasionally hoot of an owl and other creatures that hunted in the night. Neither cat spoke, both afraid to break their vigil. They were to remain quiet all night. Every once in a while Cloudysky felt Greysong nudge him as he began to doze off. His friend never seemed to tire and always appeared alert. This made Cloudysky feel safe, as if his friend would always be able to protect him.

Finally a light crept into the sky and the cats began to stir. By the time the sun was visible it seemed that every cat in the Clan had woken.

"I'm glad that's over!" Exclaimed Cloudysky, shaking the dew from his fur.

Greysong nodded his agreement and the two cats raced to the warriors den. The two cats lay down in the moss and fell immediately asleep.

-----

"They look tiered." Snorted Amberheart as she and Greyclaw ate. Greyclaw nodded or his mouth was too stuffed with fresh-kill to say anything. Laughing, Amberheart got to her paws and stretched.

"We should go out training out apprentices. I'd like to head over to Fourtrees and give them a little tour of the Clan." She explained. Greyclaw nodded, struggling to swallow his massive mouthful. "Okay. I'll go wake them up."

He stretched, then padded over to the apprentices den. Peering inside he saw Hopepaw and Shadowpaw curled up together at the far side of the small den. Darkpaw and Mudpaw had taken over the spots that Cloudysky and Greysong had once slept in.

Greyclaw slipped into the den, being careful to keep quiet so he didn't wake the two eldest apprentices. He reached over and prodded Hopepaw with his paw. The apprentice groaned and rolled over.

"Wake up!" He hissed, poking her again.

Hopepaw squeaked, waking Shadowpaw as well, and got to her paws.

"We're going training. Go get something to eat." Commanded Greyclaw, leaving the den, closely followed by the two young apprentices.

They ate quickly and met their mentors beside the gorse tunnel.

"Today we're going to take you over to Fourtrees and hunt around there, then we'll give you a tour of the area on our way back." Instructed Amberheart. "Let's go."

The four cats made their way out of the camp and around towards Fourtrees.

Greyclaw quickened his pace so that he was walking next to Amberheart. "You don't really want to go training. You want to see if the BoneClan cats are still there." He said.

Amberheart nodded. "Yes. I'm worried about what they might do to our Clan. I want to find them."

"You're going to get in trouble. We're supposed to be training our apprentices, not chasing rouges." Said Greyclaw sternly.

"I know, Grey, but it's for the Clan." Said Amberheart. "I'll help train them too; I just want a look around."

Greyclaw shook his head. "Alright, but you're going to get yourself in trouble too."

"Not if I find them and bring them back." She added, and dashed off towards Fourtrees.

"Wait!" Called Greyclaw, signaling with his tail for the apprentices to keep up, then dashed off after her.

-----

It was sunhigh before the defeated cats of ThunderClan made their way back into the Clan camp. The group was lead by Mistyfur, who was a mess. Her long tortishell fur had been torn out in some places, revealing bloody scratched she'd received during the battle.

"We lost. All of our cats survived, but in the end there were too many; Sunning Rocks belongs to RiverClan right now." She sighed and shook her head, making her way over to Snowtail's den. On her way there she was intercepted by Lionstar.

"Mistyfur, when the cats recover I need to send a couple of spies into ShadowClan territory. I feel BoneClan is up to something, especially after what we learned about WindClan."

Mistyfur nodded. "I respect your decision, but wouldn't it be better to have loners do the job? They would scent ThunderClan and know it was us."

Lionstar frowned. She was right, of course. BoneClan would scent them if they sent their own warriors. "ThunderClan can't trust loners by themselves." He pointed out.

"Then we'll send one of the cats who just got back from the battle to lead them. Our scent will be mingled with both ThunderClan and RiverClan. I'll go find Flash and Blood. They'll do. Patchpelt will lead. She's the strongest warrior we can spare." Said Mistyfur, and without waiting for a reply she ran from the camp.

Lionstar watched her go and smiled. Despite how worried he was about his injured deputy, he had to admit she was a good choice for the position. Meanwhile he wanted to make an alliance with RiverClan. After Amberheart's report about WindClan seeing the two BoneClan cats he knew they would need to make allies if they wanted to defeat the two Clans.

He turned to find Darkpaw standing right behind him, her face set in a determined look.

"I want to help too. I want to help ThunderClan and I hate this punishment. We need more warriors, you know that."

Lionstar nodded. The apprentice was right; the Clan did need more warriors. "Your punishment has officially been lifted. Go get Mudpaw and roll in some fox dung, then go to the Thunderpath and wait there for Mistyfur her recruits."

"Yes, Lionstar!"

-----

When they arrived at Fourtrees the first thing Amberheart saw was an orange tabby tom stretched out across the highrock. He had been asleep moments ago, but woke when he heard the four cats.

"Hullo!" He said brightly, twitching his tail in greeting. "What do we have here? A group of Clankitties?"

Greyclaw and Amberheart had never seen this cat before, but Hopepaw and Shadowpaw appeared to recognize him, and he seemed to know who they were too. He descended from the rock and touched noses with them.

"Hi, Flash! We're Shadowpaw and Hopepaw now." Piped Shadowpaw excitedly.

"I guess that crazy cat's yapping finally paid off!" He laughed, pawing the younger tom playfully. He then looked up at Amberheart and his smile evaporated. "You should thank me. I lead the two-legs here when I saw you being attacked."

"Thanks. But how did you- You know about BoneClan?"

He nodded, but said no more, instead his eyes suddenly widened at something behind them. The cats turned to see Mistyfur and a thin albino tom. He looked no older then six moons, and was probably the scrawniest cat any of them had ever seen.

Ignoring Amberheart, Greyclaw and the apprentices, Mistyfur padded up to Flash.

"ThunderClan needs you. Lionstar requests you head to the Thunderpath with me on a special mission to infiltrate BoneClan."

With a look at Amberheart, Flash smiled. "Of course. Anything to rid this forest of BoneClan."

"Patchpelt will be leading you," Continued Mistyfur. "She's the strongest warrior we can spare."

"Patchpelt?" Blurted Amberheart, shocked. Greyclaw nudged her and shot her a look, but it was already too late to take it back.

"Yes, Patchpelt. She'll do fine; she wasn't made a warrior for nothing." Said Mistyfur calmly. "You'd better get back to your training now. Come. She'll be waiting."

The group watched the cats disappear back into ThunderClan territory. "Wow." Gasped Shadowpaw, breaking the silence that had fallen over the group. "I can't wait to be a warrior."


	6. Across the Boarder

**CLANLIFE**

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finaly were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead._

**ACROSS THE BOARDER - Thunderpath - Mid-Afternoon **

Mudpaw stared across the path, clearly shocked by his newfound duties. "I can't believe we're going to have to go over there..." He said quietly. Darkpaw simply kept the same somber expression she had assumed upon informing him of their mission. "The others should be here soon." Continued the Siamese apprentice. He turned as he saw Patchpelt and Mistyfur coming towards them. She introduced them to Blood and Flash, two loners who were going to help them on their mission.

There were five cats in total; Blood, Flash, Darkpaw, Mudpaw, and in the lead, Patchpelt.

"Good luck." Said Mistyfur quietly, touching noses to each of her warriors and nodding her head to the loners. "Find out as much as you can."

Patchpelt turned to the Thunderpath. As the only full warrior of the group it was her duty to go first. Swallowing, she set off across the black surface. it felt unnatural beneith her paws, but then again, it was unnatural. She froze as a roar started up in the distance as soon as she regained the ability to move she darted across.

It wasn't long before the four other cats appeared behind her. They all looked solemn and frightened, like they were going into war. Patchpelt knew she looked the same way.

"Alright. First we're going to go along the boarder. If they see us, we scatter and try to meet at Mothermouth. If they catch us, we fight. If you catch any signs of ShadowClan inform me immidiently. Understood?"

"Yes, Patchpelt." Came their reply. Their solemness was getting to Patchpelt. It made her want to scream at them, "Cheer up for StarClan's sake! You all look like someone died!" But she didn't. ShadowClan was gone, and for all they knew, someone had died.

So the group set off along the Clan boarder, following the more recent marks made by BoneClan over the pervious ones by ShadowClan.

The sun was setting when Darkpaw finaly broke the silence. "We're near Carrionplace. It smells strange."

Patchpelt nodded. "It does." She hadn't expected Carrionplace to smell so... sick. She's expected something more like crowfood. "Let's go look at it."

The other cats exchanged worried glances, but nodded anyways and followed Patchpelt towards Carrionplace.

She stopped abruptly, peering through the gaps in a bush. "There are cats there!" She whispered, surprised. There were two cats guarding the entrance to Carrionplace. One was a scrawny white tom and the other a big, heavy looking blue-grey tom. The little white one looked pathetic in comparison.

"Obviously they have something to guard." Said Flash quietly. "Something they don't want anyone to find out about."

"Then we'll have to go find out what it is." Said Blood, unsheathing his needle-sharp claws. Patchpelt nodded. "Distract the guard. Darkpaw and Mudpaw will get in and find out what's going on."

So the five cats set off, sneaking closer to watch the battle. Blood and Flash waltzed out from behind their bush. The two cats attacked immediately and Patchpelt leaped in to help them. Without a word the two apprentices slipped into Carrionplace.

Darkpaw couldn't help but gasp at what she saw. Mingled with two-leg trash were the bodies of cats. Some were recognizable as ShadowClan, others too mangled to make out. In the middle, sitting up top on a large poll, was the rotting corpse of another cat that made the apprentices want to gag. Some of the bodies even looked half-eaten, as if the cats of BoneClan had feasted on them before throwing them here.

"Why?" Squeaked Mudpaw suddenly. "Why do they do this?"

Darkpaw shook her head and padded up to one of the cat bodies to inspect it. She gasped again, then opened the cat's mouth. "Mudpaw, come look! They have no claws or teeth. Come to think of it, even their bones are gone."

Mudpaw looked, and indeed she was right. They couldn't understand why these vile cats would do this. It made no sense, as far as they could figure.

There was a sudden yowl from outside and the apprentices turned to see that two more CarrionGuards had joined the fight at the entrance. Without hesitating they threw themselves at the black tom and the black and white she-cat who were endangering their friends. They were thrown off easily. From where she stood fighting the small white tom, who had turned out to be a worthy opponent, Patchpelt called; "Scatter! Run! Get out of here!"

Flash and Blood immediately abandoned their battles and fled. With a quick glance back, so did the apprentices. Their hearts were pounding, but they just ran and ran until they could run no more and collapsed to the ground.

-----

The topic in the Warriors den that night was Metalstar. Not her Clan, and not really the cat herself, but her claws. They were metal and, as the had all seen, she couldn't sheath them. Other cats had observed that some of her warriors had claws that appeared to be made of bone. Cloudysky hadn't noticed anything. He'd been too busy being hostile towards them to pay any attention to their claws, but now he realized how stupid he'd been not to even make an attempt to observe anything about the other cats. Greysong seemed to be thinking the same thing, although with a mute you could never be sure. At least having such a big cat as a friend was reassuring. But where had she gotten her metal claws?

Coldpelt grinned as he padded into the den. He hadn't come to the Gathering, but due to his injuries, Mistyfur had sent him back from the battle before it had ended. He hadn't spoken to her since and seemed to be angry with her. Coldpelt always took battles very seriously, but he was a highly respected warrior, as Cloudysky had often been reminded as an apprentice. "Metal claws, you say?"

"Yes." Said Tigerstripe seriously. "Lionstar sent Darkpaw, Mudpaw, Flash, Blood and Patchpelt into BoneClan territory to find out more about them."

"So we're finally going to have a quiet night!" Said Flamecloud happily. This got him a paw-slap across the muzzle from Tigerstripe.

"This is not a laughing matter. BoneClan is a serious threat to ThunderClan, and with Amberheart's news of WindClan things are getting even worse." He snarled. Flamecloud shrank back. Cloudpelt decided now that it would be best to lie down between Cloudysky and Tigerstripe, which was exactly what Cloudysky was hoping he would not do. Coldpelt didn't seem to notice his discomfort, but went on chatting with Tigerstripe and the others long into the night. Finally, after Tigerstripe, Greysong and the others were asleep, Coldpelt turned to Cloudysky.

"Get used to it. You need to keep up more current with the news of the forest. If only I could 'ave been your mentor you might appreciate this a bit more." Snapped Coldpelt, then tucked his nose under his paw and fell asleep.

Cloudysky lay awake for a while longer. Coldpelt had been Greysong's mentor before. His friend had never said anything about the old tom, although there wasn't much that he could say. Only simple gestures to indicate what he wanted or to give quick commands. He was a big, powerful cat though. Then Cloudysky's mind wandered off to Featherpaw and he was finally able to sleep.


	7. To the Rescue

**CLANLIFE **

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finaly were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead._

**TO THE RESCUE - Mothermouth - Moonhigh **

Blood opened his eyes. He had fallen asleep waiting for the others, and Flash was here now and Patchpelt was pacing a few tail-lengths away, ranting on about how Lionstar and the rest of the Clan would hate her even more if she told them that she'd lost the apprentices. They still hadn't returned and it was moonhigh now. Flash had suggested many times that she give up waiting and come back to ThunderClan but she simply ignored him and went on pacing.

Finally she proclaimed; "I'm going after them."

They stared at her. It was obvious she was incapable of doing so; she was limping badly and one of her ears was a little torn. Scratches marked her back and anyone sane could see she was not fit to go off searching for two lost apprentices. For all they knew Darkpaw and Mudpaw were just running farther away from home.

-----

And that was exactly what they were doing, or more, what they were going to do. Right now the two of them were lying far north of BoneClan in the rolling hills where twolegs harvested crops during leaf-fall.

"Mudpaw, come on. We have to get back!" Called Darkpaw impatiently.

"Darkpaw, we can't. All there is in every direction is hills, hills and more hills!" He was right, though. All either of them could see were hills and each other, no matter what direction they looked in. They both just ran out here then collapsed when they could run no more and they didn't even know where they came from. Suddenly a thought struck Mudpaw. "Maybe we don't have to go back. Maybe ShadowClan came this way and we can go find them."

Darkpaw glared at him. "What kind of mouse-brained fool are you? We're not going to run out in whatever direction and hope to find ShadowClan! I think home is this way, so this is where we're going." She snapped and set off. Mudpaw, knowing it could be the way to ShadowClan, followed without resistance.

-----

Patchpelt sighed. She had reached the outskirts of BoneClan territory and the sun was just coming up. How stupid was she? Running after two apprentices out into the distance, farther then any Clan cat had ever been. She shivered at the thought. She was just running away from her problems, but they were just getting bigger as she ran, like a snowball rolling through the snow towards her. She had to go back, she knew. She turned and padded back across the Thunderpath. Wait, the Thunderpath! It ran up through the hills and if she followed it she would never get lost. Monsters rarely turned off onto this one, of it would be safe to walk along it for a while.

Excitement burning in her chest, Patchpelt padded onto the cold black surface and started off into the sunrise.

-----

"Cloudysky! Wake up and go gather some fresh-kill. Rustpelt's kits just arrived and you're the only one who hasn't got something to do." Snapped Mistyfur, pawing him roughly into consciousness. Greysong was gone, probably off on patrol or another hunting party. Today it seemed the whole Clan was busy.

He nodded and slipped out of the den and padded to Sunning Rocks. It was only when he arrived there that he remembered that this was RiverClan territory now and his heart sank. Suddenly a grey blue hit him in the side, pinning him to the ground. In a moment he recognized it as Featherpaw.

"Featherpaw!" He gasped. In her shock he managed to knock her off. "I forgot this was RiverClan now. I'm Cloudysky."

"Oh. So you got your warrior name too. I'm Featherheart." She explained. "And I'm busy. I need to hunt for RiverClan. Just in case you forgot, yours is ThunderClan." She flashed a rude smile, dismissing Cloudysky.

He glared at her then left. Who knew that she would turn into such an obnoxious warrior? Hopefully the others weren't so rude.

"What are you doing here?"

Cloudysky turned back to see that Lionstar and Greysong had just crossed back onto Sunning Rocks, flanked by Smoothpaw and another RiverClan tom with long grey pelt. "Lionstar was just talking to Riverstar. She wanted me and Smoothwater to guide them back." Explained the older tom.

"Cloudysky!" Exclaimed Smoothwater and hurried over to him. "Lionstar recognized me and told me about you and Greysong. I can't believe we're all warriors now. Dustpaw is still an apprentice though. His mentor died in the flood so he's a little behind, but he should be a warrior by the next Gathering."

Cloudysky smiled, but he knew it was more important to learn what Lionstar had been talking to Riverstar. "Smoothwater, what was Lionstar talking about? Do you know anything more about BoneClan?"

Smoothwater shook his head. "I'm not supposed to talk about RiverClan's suspicions, and I don't really know what they were talking about, just that they agreed on something and Riverstar is going to announce it to the Clan."

"Okay. Well, I'd better get back to hunting. See you." The two friends touched noses and went their separate ways. Cloudysky was too curious to hunt, though, so he quickly dug up a burrow and caught a scrawny mouse before heading back to camp.

-----

Lionstar was worried. Flash and Blood had explained what had happened; the sabotage at Carrionplace, the disappearance of the apprentices, and Patchpelt's running away. The apprentices were the only ones who knew why Carrionplace was being guarded, though the loners did tell Lionstar about the strange scent.

The ThunderClan leader sighed, suddenly looking old to the two toms. "I can't send more of my warriors in." He said, more to himself then to Blood and Flash. "But we have to find out more... Flash, go get me Mistyfur. Then you two can take your reward and leave. Thank you again."

The two cats nodded and backed out of the den. Blood set off for the fresh-kill pile to get his share while Flash went off to find Mistyfur. She was in the nursery with a tortishell she-cat. When Flash entered she looked up. "Lionstar wants you."

She nodded and slipped out silently, padding over to her leader's den. "Lionstar?"

"I'll name the kits in a moment. I made and alliance with RiverClan. Our Clans are now allied against BoneClan. Patchpelt and the apprentices are gone. Flash reported it. She ran off after them.

Something's going on at Carrionplace but only the apprentices know what it is. Blood suspects they're all up in the hills north of ShadowClan's former territory." Sighed Lionstar.

"What should we do? We can't leave them there. They'll never find their way back!" Exclaimed Mistyfur worriedly.

"I'm going to the Moonstone. I'll take Shadowpaw and Hopepaw; they have to make the journey sometime anyways, and I want Greysong to come along too. Could you go tell them? I'll see to the kits.

"Lionstar padded worriedly out of his den and into the nursery where Rustpelt lay with her three young kits. One of them was a small orange tom, the runt of the litter who Lionstar named Smallkit. There was also a white she-kit with black paws who Lionstar decided to call Moonkit and lastly a black tom with orange rings around his paws and tail. His ears were also flecked with orange and Lionstar called him Firekit. It had been a while since there had been any kits in the nursery, seeing as the flood had whiped them all out, but Lionstar was glad to see new life beginning in the Clan.

After the naming he left the nursery and hopped into the Highrock and proceeded to call for his Clan, which soon gathered beneath the ancient stone.

"Mudpaw, Darkpaw and Patchpelt are gone. Patchpelt has most likely set off in search of the apprentices, but we hear that they have travelled into the hills beyond ShadowClan territory. I am going to the Moonstone tonight to share dreams with StarClan. I have requested the apprentices along with Greysong come along, so Mistyfur will be in charge of the camp until I return.

"ThunderClan has also untied with RiverClan for affairs concerning BoneClan. They will stand by our side to aid our Clan until this threat has passed. That does not allow anyone hunting rights in our territory, therefore RiverClan and ThunderClan boarder patrols will continue." Lionstar bobbed his head to his Clan and hopped down from the Highrock, then padded off into the Medicine Cat's den.


	8. Wind and Bone

**CLANLIFE **

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead._

_Our story begins one moon later._

**WIND AND BONE - Fourtrees - Sunset **

Hopepaw glanced nervously at her brother. Apprentices had to make the trip to the Moonstone through WindClan territory before they could become warriors, and rumor had passed around the camp of Amberheart's encounter with WindClan, so none of the four cats were really sure what to expect from the plain-dwelling Clan.

"Let's go." Said Lionstar grimly, heading off into WindClan territory, closely followed by Hopepaw and Shadowpaw, behind whom traveled Greysong.

A sudden shriek split the air and a small black bundle of fur collided with Hopepaw. The apprentice rolled around with the other cat while Shadowpaw stood back, attempting to swipe at his sister's attacker whenever they came close.

Finally they broke apart and circled each other, hissing angrily. The black she-cat smelled of WindClan and Lionstar guessed she must be an apprentice. Suddenly another cat leaped out at them, landing between Lionstar and the she-cat apprentice.

"What are you doing here?" Snarled the tortishell warrior.

"Passing through." Replied Lionstar calmly. "I'm on my way to the Moonstone."

The she-cat stood her ground, yellow eyes burning into the ThunderClan leader, but he did not flinch. "It's ancient law; we're to pass unharmed."

"If you wish to discuss matters concerning BoneClan, ShadowClan does not belong. You should see that. WindClan will fight to protect the truth. BoneClan stays." Snarled the warrior and her apprentice joined in the chorus of growling. Hopepaw arched her back and hissed at the apprentice.

"Crowpaw!" Ordered the warrior. "Get reinforcements to rid our Clan of these traitors!"

"Yes, Morningflower!" Yowled Crowpaw obediently and dashed off towards the Clan.

As soon as she was gone, Morningleaf proceeded to charge at Lionstar, who reacted quickly, knocking the smaller cat away. They weren't that far from WindClan camp, and it wouldn't take long for the WindClan cats to arrive.

"Run!" Commanded Lionstar. "Hurry!"

-----

Greysong, Shadowpaw and Hopepaw exchanged worried looks before they tore off towards the Moonstone, Lionstar at their heels, closely followed by Morningflower.

It wasn't long before seven warriors, led by Crowpaw dashed towards them. Lionstar recognized them all from previous gatherings; there was Longtail, a white she-cat with a white tail; Redclaw, the big black deputy of WindClan; Nightsong, a black tom with an ugly voice; Wolfclaw, a grey tom with abnormally long claws; Twotails, a calico she-cat with two tails; Gingerpaw, a pretty ginger she-cat; and Firepaw, a ginger tom. The cats charged at them, breaking their formation.

"Back to camp! Retreat!" Yowled Lionstar before he was knocked to the ground by Redclaw.

Hopepaw squealed as Crowpaw's claws sank into her sides and Shadowpaw thrashed wildly in attempt to fight of Firepaw. Meanwhile Greysong was struggling with Twotails and Nightsong while the other cats swiped randomly whenever they saw an opening.

A sudden, low yowl split the air. It was a wild sound, clearly a cat but an old one. Redclaw snarled and leaped back from Lionstar as a filthy, once-white tom bowled him over and charged at his Clan, biting and snapping wildly.

"Kill him!" Hollered Redclaw, charging back at Lionstar.

Longtail, Wolfclaw and Gingerpaw leaped at the wild tom, but the old cat fought back bravely, despite how they injured him.

Despite the loner's help, ThunderClan was still losing the battle. Seven to five was really no battle at all, but WindClan left no space for retreat.

"Run when you can!" Called Lionstar as he continued to struggle with Redclaw.

Shadowpaw fought until he managed to slip away and tore off into the darkness. Seeing her brother escape, Hopepaw cast a tentative look to Lionstar before she attempted to do the same, but Crowpaw leaped at her again, crushing her to the ground. The ThunderClan apprentice rolled over, knocking the wind out of Crowpaw, but explosing her underbelly to Morningflower, who immediately raced forwards. In a moment she was cut off by the rouge and Hopepaw got to her paws and raced off after her brother.

Greysong felt Twotails's claws dig into his side while Nightsong fastened his jaws around the big grey tom's neck. Greyvoice rolled over, forcing Twotails to jump back while Nightsong remained crushed beneath the massive warrior. Greysong stumbled back to his paws and was immediately attacked by another group of warriors and once again forced to the ground.

Meanwhile Lionstar was weakening. Redclaw still seemed full of energy and continued to fight just as enthusiastically as he had since the start.

"Greysong, save yourself!" Panted Lionstar, struggling to fight off the WindClan deputy.

Greyvoice whined pleadingly. He wouldn't leave his leader now.

"GO!"

At that moment Redclaw lunged forwards, slicing at Lionstar's underbelly. The ThunderClan leader let out a cry of pain and fell to the ground. At the same time Greysong cried out too and threw off his attackers. With one last glance at his dead leader he tore off into the night.

-----

"Lionstar."

Lionstar felt a wet nose collide softly with his and he opened his eyes. Firestar was standing in front of him, Greystar off to his left and Bluestar to his right. The three past leaders stared at him admirably as he staggered to his paws.

"You're dead!" He exclaimed when he managed to stand.

Bluestar laughed and stepped forwards. "So are you, but we will give you the time you need to recover."

"But why didn't I die like Tigerstar? He tore me apart!" Exclaimed Lionstar, looking down at his body, lying silently in the blood-stained grass.

"He must have forgotten," Said Bluestar wisely. "That you're a Clan leader."

"Bluestar, I came out here tonight to tell you about-"

Greystar stepped forwards, silencing him. "We understand your intentions, Lionstar. But we know nothing more then you do."

"You'll learn more at the next gathering." Added Bluestar.

"The Moonstone sometimes supplies one with more information then StarClan ourselves." Firestar pointed out.

"But don't try going again. Don't put your Clan in danger." Advised Greystar.

"And don't go by yourself." Commanded Bluestar, then the three cats stepped back and bowed their heads to the new ThunderClan leader.

"Good luck, Lionstar!" They called, then faded away.

The grass was red. The cats were gone. The sun was up. Lionstar groaned and got to his paws. Eight lives left. He shivered at the thought that Redclaw had actualy killed him. Amberheart's suspicious were right; WindClan did have something to do with this. He had to get back to camp.

Lionstar tore off towards Fourtrees, eager to get back and warn his Clan of this allied evil.


	9. Chilled to the Bone

**CLANLIFE **

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead. _

_Our story begins one moon later. _

**CHILLED TO THE BONE - ThunderClan Camp - Moonhigh **

Days had passed since the battle against WindClan, and as the leaders had advised Lionstar waited for the next gathering to arrive. Lightfoots kits, Snowkit and Featherkit, had come and the training for Hopepaw and Shadowpaw was quite positive. For kitty-pets, they were turning out to be good warriors.

So now the next gathering had come.

Lionstar had selected Mistyfur, Amberheart, Greyclaw, Greysong, Coldpelt, Hopepaw and Shadowpaw to accompany him to the gathering, leaving Orangestripe in charge of the Clan while they were gone.

-----

The eight cats set off towards Fourtrees, arriving just as the moon reached its highest point in the sky. Hopepaw and Shadowpaw seemed excited about their first gatherings and stayed close to their mentors.

Soon everyone was present and the leaders gathered atop the rock and called the cats to attention.

Metalstar was the first to step forwards, her metal claws glinting in the moonlight. Shadowpaw felt his sister shiver beside him at the sight of the greusome claws. And the thought that WindClan, who's deputy had killed Lionstar, was helping this she-cat didn't help sooth their nerves.

"Earlier this moon, five cats were found trespassing on BoneClan land." She paused here to let the howl of disapproval at her referring to the land as BoneClan's die before she continued. "They were split up and two fled into the hills beyond and the other two to the Moonstone. We have reason to believe these cats were sent as spies from ThunderClan." She glared at Lionstar, her yellow eyes flashing almost as brightly as her claws. "If any cats are caught trespassing on our land again..." A beetle scurried past her claw, but she shifted the mass of metal, placing it down on the insect and crushing it. "You will find nothing but pain."

Next Tallstar stepped forwards, looking to Metalstar for approval. She nodded and he began.

"WindClan has decided to join forces with BoneClan to protect them from this prejudice against them. ShadowClan was a menace; a horrible Clan of kitty-pets that do not belong in this forest. Therefore only Clans who believe that BoneClan has done nothing wrong will be permitted to travel though our territory on any occasion." This speech was met with yowls of protest from ThunderClan and RiverClan alike. Lionstar searched out Redclaw in the crowd and saw him beaming. Prehaps it hadn't been Tallstar's decision after all.

As soon as Tallstar had stepped back, Riverstar moved forwards. "RiverClan will not take this nonsense! ShadowClan has shared this land with us for centuries! It is BoneClan who does not belong." Yowled Riverstar. Cries of protest from WindClan and BoneClan mingled with the voice of approval from Thunderclan and RiverClan. When the cats had quieted down, Riverstar spoke again. "We have also formed an alliance with ThunderClan. Our Clans will fight side by side to rid the land of this menace." She said, growling threateningly at Metalstar, who hissed at her as she stepped back. Lionstar then stepped forwards and looked down at the gathered cats. He remembered Bluestar, Greystar and Firestar and remembered how they had all once stood on this same rock, looking down at the Clans gathered below. But then ShadowClan had been there, not BoneClan. Metalstar's Clan did not belong in this forest. ShadowClan did. ShadowClan and only ShadowClan.

"Metalstar has no right to bring her Clan here to stand beneith the light of StarClan! She has no right to bear the name given by StarClan to the rightful leaders of the four Clans and she has not even the right to lead her Clan in this land. She has not nine lives; she has but one as StarClan would never grant such a cat with the power reserved for true leaders. She has no right to have ever received her warrior name. This cat has taken away one of the original four Clans as even Tigerstar could never have done. So, Metalpaw, that is why ThunderClan will never give in to you!" Boomed Lionstar, looking away from the cats below and into the burning yellow eyes of the BoneClan leader.

With a warning hiss Metalstar leaped at Lionstar, who hopped nimbly from the Highrock and out of the clearning, his Clan following close behind him.

Metalstar raised her head and let out a bloodcurdling scream, but before she could speak any more a cloud floated lazily over the moon.


	10. Silvernest

**CLANLIFE**

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead. _

_Our story begins one moon later. _

**SILVERNEST - Hills Beyond - Sunrise **

Darkpaw darted through the underbrush, hot on the heels of a mouse feeling for its burrow. With a mighty leap Darkpaw found herself in front of the creature. It froze where it was and Darkpaw swiped at it.

"Wake up!"

Darkpaw's eyes snapped opened. Mudpaw, his skin clinging to his bones so that he looked cold and skeletal in the darkness of the forest. Here there was forest, but the hunt was bad and the weather was cold. It was nothing like what they were used to. But the worst part was they could smell the two-legs; everything seemed to carry some trace of their scent, but there was nothing to indicate that they were or had ever been nearby. They were used to traces everywhere; back home it was easy to identify where the two-legs had been, but here everything seemed contaminated by them.

There were also things they had never scented before, like gas and metal. But it all stank like two-legs. Nothing was clean.

Mudpaw and Darkpaw couldn't remember how many days had passed since they left BoneClan territory, but they both felt dizzy and weak. Darkpaw was now having dreams about hunting and prey, after which she always seemed more and more depressed. Mudpaw, on the other hand, was having vivid nightmares of BoneClan taking over ThunderClan.

"We have to keep going." He said softly.

Darkpaw's eyes were unfocused and despairing, but she bobbed her head anyways and got weakly to her paws. She looked dead, like one of the bodies in Carrionplace. The thought scared him and he thought back to his dreams. That wouldn't happen. It couldn't happen.

The two ThunderClan apprentices set off again. It wasn't long before they reached the end of the small patch of woodland they had been taking shelter in. Stretching out in front of them was land still covered by a thin layer of snow. As they walked they left paw prints in the cold white powder. They were off the edge of the map. No Clan cat had ever gone this far north before. In fact, no Clan cat had ever gone this far away from the Clans before.

Mudpaw froze suddenly. In the distance he could see something sparkling like light on water, but it wasn't water. It was solid.

"There's something there!" He said softly, his weak, scratchy voice filled with excitement.

Darkpaw nodded absently and the two of them broke into a run, though Darkpaw's eyes had still not focused and her mouth was hanging opened oddly. Mudpaw watched his companion sadly, sure that she would never survive this journey. It would be simply too much for her to take. Perhaps if they could reach the not-water everything would be alright. Perhaps if there were some cats out here who could help them.

They stopped, panting, in another patch of forest. Mudpaw wished he could see the not-water close up. He felt drawn to it as if somehow it was what they were looking for; salvation.

"Come on. We have to keep going." Said Mudpaw between gasps for breath. Darkpaw nodded and the two of them continued their flight to the not-water.

As far and fast as they ran, the sparkle on the horizon never seemed to get any closer. It was always there in the distance, too far away for them to really make out what it was. So as the day wore on they ran towards it, the overwhelming scent of two-leg pollution growing stronger and stronger.

They ran until Mudpaw realized they were on a thunderpath; a black line that stretched out from their feet right towards the not-water. He forced himself to run faster. Then as the sun began to slip down the sky he saw it; tall metal buildings, others made of glass that reflected the sun. The two apprentices stood in the middle of the thunderpath, staring in amazement at the silver two-legs nest.

"I- I've never seen one so big." Stuttered Darkpaw, her eyes finally coming into focus on the buildings rising up ahead of them.

"Silvernest." Whispered Mudpaw fearfully. "We have to go there."

Darkpaw nodded grimly. "There's something there. Something to do with BoneClan."

The two cats resumed their running. There was something at Silvernest. A secret that must be discovered. It was StarClan's will they come here, and they would fulfill their wishes.

-----

Lionstar hopped down from the Highrock. He had just explained to his Clan all that had happened that night at the gathering. Some looked stunned, others outraged. he desperately wanted to send in another search party, but they didn't have enough warriors, not alone at least.

"Mistyfur! Go to RiverClan with Shadowpaw, Hopepaw, Greyclaw and Amberheart to set up a search party with RiverClan." He commanded. Mistyfur nodded and gathered the cats she needed before setting off out of the camp.

Mistyfur lead the group worriedly towards Sunning Rocks. Lionstar was clearly worried about his Clan and found it hard to send such a large group of his cats into enemy territory, but it must be done. BoneClan had to be defeated, no matter what the cost.

Even if it was all of their lives.

-----

Mistyfur couldn't remember the journey into RiverClan territory, only that she was now sitting with her warriors in the middle of the camp, discussing the BoneClan trespassing with RiverStar, Stonefur, Dashfoot, Smoothwater and Spottedleaf. Mistyfur wasn't sure why Riverstar had invited the tortishell queen to their little meeting, but she was sure the she-cat had her reasons.

"Before we send in this party I need you to do me a special favor. Our queen, Spottedleaf," Riverstar was saying, "has a mate in WindClan. She gave birth to two kits, one in RiverClan the other was given to WindClan. We need the kit back. We can no longer trust those traitors to properly raise one of our kits."

The heads of the RiverClan party bobbed in agreement, but the ThunderClan cats exchanged nervous looks.

"Who is this kit?" Asked Mistyfur slowly.

"Jumpkit. She's a tortishell she-cat, and we must get her back." Pleaded Spottedleaf.

Mistyfur looked to her warriors. Greyclaw got to his paws quickly. He had always been the caring one, Mistyfur knew, the one who stood up to help anyone in need and she respected him for that.

"I'll do it." He announced.

Spottedleaf purred gratefully and also got to her paws. Everyone else remained sitting.

"You'll go alone. With luck you'll meet Whitestorm. He is a reasonable cat, you know." Said Riverstar, looking gratefully to Greyclaw.

Mistyfur smiled and touched noses with Greyclaw. "Good luck." She said, hoping he would be alright.

-----

Spottedleaf and Greyclaw walked silently, side by side into WindClan territory. They stopped to scent the air often, making the traveling very slow. They were also upwind from WindClan camp, so any warriors there could easily scent the two cats. They felt exposed on the flat terrain where the wind seemed to pierce like needles through their thinning pelt.

Then it came; a white shape leaped at them, striking Spottedleaf in the side and knocking her to the ground. They were close to the camp, Greyclaw knew. He could see a large patch of undergrowth where he knew the WindClan camp was. Greyclaw yowled loudly, hoping to attract attention from the camp so he could sneak in and kidnap Jumpkit.

His plan worked and a throng of warriors surged from the Clan camp towards him and Spottedleaf who was fighting the white warrior fiercely. In the confusion, Greyclaw dashed forwards, quickly closing the distance between him and the camp. He was just about there when a big white tom appeared in front of him. He stopped, shocked, and dropped what he was holding. Greyclaw hissed and unsheathed his claws, then cast a glance down at the bundle. It was a kit.

"Jumpkit?" He asked, looking up questioningly at the warrior.

Whitestorm, for it was indeed him, nodded. "Take her and run." He said quietly.

"Thank you." Said Greyclaw, leaning down and picking up the kit.

"Watch out!"

Greyclaw leaped forwards and spun around in mid-air. A big black tom soared through the air where he had been moments ago and knocked Whitestorm to the ground. "Traitor!" Snarled Redclaw.

The two WindClan warriors rolled around on the ground, biting and slashing at each other while Greyclaw stood, spellbound and unable to move.

"Daddy?" Whispered Jumprose softly and he felt the little kit shiver. Greyclaw knew she was scared, knew that she shouldn't see this, but he couldn't bring himself to move.

Redclaw was on top of Whitestorm, pinning Whitestorm to the ground. The white warrior hissed and lunged at his captor with his teeth, but Redclaw hissed and clamped his own jaws around Whitestorm's muzzle, sinking them deep into his flesh so that blood bubbled out between the slivers of bone and stained the warrior's white fur.

"Daddy." Whispered Jumprose again, though this time she sounded less questioning, more heartbroken and horrified. Greyclaw wished he could run away, yet he felt drawn to the battle, unable to move his eyes away.

A grown erupted from Whitestorm and he attempted to lunge forwards again, but to no avail. Finaly Redclaw released his muzzle, then when Whitestorm opened to yowl at him, Redclaw leaned forwards and tore out the tom's tongue. Then he leaned forwards, tearing the white warrior's ears with his teeth until they had both been shredded into unrecognizable scraps of flesh and fur. A cry of agony erupted from the white warrior. Then Redclaw laughed, cruel and cold. Another cry of agony split the air as Redclaw proceeded to rip out his warrior's claws. Then he chose the sharpest in the pile he had made and poked he cats eyes out like a bird might do to its dead prey. Another shriek split the air along with another laugh. Then Reclaw sat back on his hind legs, then lunged forwards. The cries were filling Greyclaw's head, mingling with the scent of pain and blood, making him dizzy.

"Daddy!" He snapped back to his senses at the kit's tormented cry. He turned, unable to bear anymore he turned and fled. He was deep into RiverClan terriotry before the scent of blood left him.

He stopped just outside RiverClan camp, dropping the kit to his feet and panting. Spottedleaf padded up behind him, badly wounded and limping, but alive. Greyclaw glanced at her and picked Jumpkit up again and they made their way back into the Clan camp.

"What happened?" Asked Mistyfur, getting to her paws as she saw the group return.

"Whitestorm is dead." Said Greyclaw weakly. He turned away, splattering the ground with his last meal before he took a few dizzy steps forwards, then collapsed, unconscious.

**A/N:** _I love this chapter. It's so sad! I remember crying while I was writing it. Of course I don't expect you to; they're my characters (and there are so many of them it must be confusing to you, but I had a list) so I'm more attatched to them. But I love Jumpkit. Ooh, there's a sadder part later but I won't spoil it for you. _


	11. The Boneclan Tresspassers

**CLANLIFE**

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead. _

_Our story begins one moon later. _

**THE BONECLAN TRESSPASSERS - RiverClan Camp - Sunrise **

"Greyclaw. Jumpkit wants to see you." Said a gentile voice. Greyclaw opened his eyes. He was in the warriors den in RiverClan with Hopepaw, Shadowpaw, Mistyfur and Amberheart. Spottedleaf was currently standing over him. Greyclaw nodded weakly and got to his paws. He followed Spottedleaf out of the den and found Jumpkit standing over by the fresh-kill pile. Spottedlead left them to go to the nursery.

"What is it?" Asked Greyclaw, padding uneasily over to Jumpkit. He wasn't sure what she'd say, seeing as he'd forced her to hang from his jaws while they watched her father be mutilated by Redclaw. So he was surprised by what she said.

"Thanks."

"Thanks?" He echoed, shocked.

Jumpkit smiled, amused. "Yah. Thanks. I'm glad I saw that. I don't mean I wanted him to die, it's just that if you ran away right away before anything happened it would be hard to accept it, but somehow seeing it makes it so simple." She looked up at him, her young eyes seemed to glow with wisdom. "So I'm glad I got to see him go. He died like a warrior."

Despite himself, Greyclaw found he was smiling. "Yah. And he lived like one too." He didn't know Whitestorm personally, of course, but he knew he was a good cat; loyal not only to his Clan, but to his mate and his beliefs.

"It's weird. It's like I'm not even sad that he died. I am, really, but Frostkit spent all night sobbing." She sighed and blinked those wise eyes. "So thanks." She nodded towards the fresh-kill pile. "You must be hungry. You deserve something to eat, though I'm sure I'm worth a lot more."

"Thanks." Said Greyclaw, choosing a plump water vole. Jumpkit sure wasn't modest, but she didn't seem self-centered either, more truthful in a slightly conceited way, if such was even possible.

"I wish I could come with you to BoneClan, but I still have a while left until I'm an apprentice. I guess it wouldn't be worth it to get myself torn apart." Said Jumpkit thoughtfully.

"We might get torn apart anyways." Greyclaw said between mouthfuls. He was worried about going into BoneClan territory with the search party.

When Greyclaw finished his meal he found Riverstar, the ThunderClan party and the RiverClan party under the tallstone that rose up in the center of the camp. The RiverClan team consisted of Riverstar, Dashfoot, Featherheart, Smoothwater and Riverstar's apprentice, Cloudpaw. All ten cats looked grim as Riverstar explained how they were to get into ShadowClan territory and how to get out. It was sunhigh by the time the bleak trespassers left RiverClan camp.

They cut a short path through ThunderClan territory and crossed the thunderpath quickly; though none of them were eager to go to BoneClan, none of them were eager to be crushed by a two-leg's monster either.

When all ten cats had arrived safely on the other side, Riverstar explained what they were to do, "There will be two groups; I will lead one, Mistyfur will lead the other. I'll be taking Greyclaw, Amberheart, Cloudpaw and Smoothwater towards where ShadowClan camp was once and Mistyfur's group will go off to Carrionplace."

The cats nodded and Amberheart and Greyclaw touched noses with their apprentices before separating into their groups.

"That's Cloudysky's friend," Said Amberheart, nodding towards Smoothwater who was standing obidiantly at Riverstar's side. "He was made a warrior less then a moon ago."

"You think we can trust him?" Asked Greyclaw, keeping his voice low.

"I think we can trust Cloudysky's judgment. He seems like a good cat." Said Amberheart decisively, looking away from Smoothwater.

"I've never seen any cats like him in any of the Clans, not even ShadowClan. What's wrong with him?" Asked Greyclaw, feeling his skin crawl at the sight of the furless tom.

"It's a mutation. Riverstar was his mother and Stonefur his father, back before she was even deputy. Then the deputy died and Riverstar got the position. A few moons later the flood came and killed the leader. They say he had suffered so much he just jumped into the gorge, unable to stand the grief, but Riverstar held strong and lots of cats had survived the flood there. Stonefur had risked his life protecting Smoothwater and some of the other apprentices, so Riverstar had a good reason to make him deputy, but he was always a good cat." Explained Amberheart.

"If he hadn't done it who would Riverstar have chosen?" Asked Greyclaw. Amberheart knew a lot about the other Clans. She was good at getting information out of other cats and loved to gossip, but managed to do so without revealing anything that might endanger ThunderClan.

"Everyone thought it was going to be Silverstream because she had Medicine Cat training and had always been loyal to the Clan, but she broke her leg during the flood and was made Medicine Cat instead because their old one died." Amberheat sighed, reluctant to talk about the tragedies that the flood had caused. "You know the story. The flood cost us lots, more then RiverClan even, but they suffered too."

Greyclaw nodded. He understood, but Smoothpaw was lucky to be here now on a patrol into BoneClan territory with his mother. For some reason that made him think back to Jumpkit. Perhaps one day she would go on a mission with her mother.

-----

"Here we are." Said Mistyfur, trying to keep her voice calm but succeeded in only sounding more terrified. The cats around her were uneasy and her terror wasn't helping. Sometimes she wondered why Lionstar had picked her as deputy.

She, Hopepaw, Shadowpaw, Dashfoot and Featherheart were standing at the side of Carrionplace, looking up at the tall wire fence; the boarder between them and BoneClan's horrifying secret.

"Climb that? Impossible. It's at least ten tail-lengths high!" Protested Featherheart, looking up at the boarder, an angry, hopeless expression on her face.

"We have to. There are cats at the entrance on both sides. This is the only way in." Said Shadowpaw somberly.

Mistyfur nodded at Featherheart's questioning look. Shadowpaw was right; it was the only way.

"So how are we going to do it?" This came from Hopepaw, snappy with disgust. This had, after all, been the place where long ago two-legs had disposed of their garbage. Who knew what could be in there now?

"We climb, of course. We won't need anyone to watch from the ground." Explained Dashfoot, then continued at the looks they gave him, "Didn't you see their claws? At the gatherings? When they were in your camp?" They continued to stare. "They're so long that even when they're sheathed they stay out long enough to give you a nasty scar. They can't climb a fence with claws like that; they'll get caught and rip them out."

Now that they thought about it, the four other cats remembered BoneClan's abnormally long claws. Though Metalstar's were huge and impossible to sheath, the other cats also had anomalistic claws too. "Alright, let's go. I'll lead." Declared Mistyfur, gripping the fence with her front paws and hoisting herself upwards. It was as if the earth had suddenly stopped and turned sideways. It felt so weird, but it wasn't hard; climbing just required concentration. "Dashfoot come next, then Shadowpaw, then Hopepaw then Featherheart will bring up the rear." She called back down, hearing the sound of claws against metal as Dashfoot hoisted himself up after her.

By the time Featherheart had started her ascent Mistyfur was almost all the way to the top. Then a thought struck her; how would they get down? There was no point turning back now, so she swallowed her doubt and continued her climbing.

Finaly Mistyfur hoisted herself onto the top of the fence overlooking Carrionplace. A sharp gasp escaped her at what she saw; a sea of bodies, cat bodies, stretching across the ground. They were everywhere, stacked in towering piles that looked about to collapse. In the middle of the clearing atop a towering pillar was placed the rotting corpse of another cat that she realized had no teeth. Looking down again at the sea of feline corpses she felt the wind rise up to meet her, carrying with it the stench of rotting, decaying remains. She whimpered weakly, staggering as her footing began to fail her. Her paw came down on the steel rail and she unsheathed her claws, but this was no tree she could cling to for balance and her foot slipped on the cold hard metal. A sharp cry sounded from behind her as she slid from the fence, falling headfirst into unconsciousness.

-----

"That's strange."

"What?" Asked Cloudpaw, jumping as Smoothwater's voice broke the silence. Greyclaw rolled his eyes at the apprentice's jumpiness. He could tell by the tom's expression that Smoothwater was thinking the same thing.

"I smell smoke, but I don't see any." Explained Smoothwater, stopping to scent the air. The other cats stopped too and did the same, all five catching a whiff of the smoke.

"Strange..." Said Amberheart softly, frowning. It was clear that she was worried, and they should be. So should BoneClan, actually. "We should follow it."

"Yes, we should." Declared Riverstar. "We have to know what BoneClan is planning."

The cats exchanged worried looks, but nodded. The leader knew best.

"Smoothwater will lead the way." She announced, looking trustingly to her son. He nodded and padded forth. RiverClan followed second with Cloudpaw right nest to her. Amberheart and Greyclaw brought up the tail and the group traveled forth.

They had traveled a few minutes in silence before Amberheart realized that they were going towards the ShadowClan camp. She said nothing, but Greyclaw seemed to notice something was wrong.

"What is it?"

"This is the way to ShadowClan camp." She said back, making sure to keep her voice low.

"I can't scent any BoneClan." Said Greyclaw unsurely.

"Then this isn't their camp." Replied Amberheart. "But there has to be something here."

They continued their approach in silence until they came upon a clearing similar to the one that made up WindClan's camp. Now they could see the smoke billowing up from the crevice in the earth. Riverstar nodded and Smoothwater stepped forwards, Amberheart hopping to his side. The two Clan cats peered over the edge into a shallow pit and gasped at what they saw.

The ground was bare of any vegetation and in another small pit in the middle was a fire. It was a small one, but they could feel its intense heat from where they stood now. In the middle of the pit were three cats. Two of them with normal length claws handling chunks of metal and a bright ginger tom who was shifting nervously as he watched them work.

One of the handling cats, a big tom with fur that looked as if it was not naturally gray, but dyed by the smoke and flames, moved forwards, a piece of metal clenched in his teeth. He brought it close to the fire and the other cat, a small black a grey she-cat, moved up beside him, molding the metal with her claws. Amberheart shivered as she realized that the fur on the cat's paws had been burnt away, leaving her with abnormally thick, heat-resistant flesh. She molded the metal into a claw shape, long and sheath-able with a thin, deadly point at the end. She then moved her claws, making the underside of the claw rough and sharp. Then she called to the ginger tom, who moved over to her quickly.

Smoothwater nudged Amberheart and she followed his gaze to the tom's set of metal claws on the other paw. She frowned. They weren't all metal. Some were reinforced with something white that stuck on with the use of molten metal.

"Bone." She whispered.

And even though she and Smoothwater hadn't been able to hear the cats below, they seemed to hear Amberheart perfectly, as the she-cat jumped, turning her head to look. The metal claw went in to far, burning the pale ginger tom's fur. He yowled and pulled away, looking up to Smoothwater and Amberheart. The yellow eyes of the group flashed menacingly in the fire.

"Kill them." Commanded the big dirty tom in a low, rumbling voice. Without farther ado, the cats leaped forwards, one of them armed with a paw and a half of bone and metal.


	12. Shadows of the Night

**CLANLIFE**

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead. _

_Our story begins one moon later. _

**SHADOWS OF THE NIGHT - Silvernest - Sunset **

"Look at this!" A thin tom with grey-brown paws, tail, ears and muzzle looked over two young cats. If they hadn't been breathing he would have thought them dead. The shadow of the tall, purebred Balinese loomed over the two of them for a minute before another shadow joined it.

"What is it, Greyfoot?" It was another cat with the same markings, though in deeper brown. And this she-cat was a lot more fluffy. The tom turned to her, his blue eyes shining with worry. "Clan cats."

-----

Darkpaw's eyes fluttered opened. The scents of Silvernest filled her head, half making her wish she could faint again. She remembered running towards the city, then there was a sound in the distance and a monster went over them. She remembered feeling dizzy, then the scents of the city finally overwhelming her. But now they were worse. Now she was actually here, in Silvernest. But Mudpaw had said there was something here. Something important.

So where was she now? In a forest, on a soft bed of moss. Perhaps the whole thing had been a dream, yet the scents of Silvernest still filled her head, even with the soothing smells of the forest. And herbs. Was she in a Medicine Cat's den? She scented the air again. Mudpaw was beside her and there was another cat here too. A tom.

"Good. You're awake. You don't seem to have suffered any physical damage. Just shock, that's all. But you sure chose a very bad place to get shocked. Greyfoot and Softpelt thought you were road kill!" That was the tom she had scented, but from here Darkpaw couldn't see him. And where had she heard those names before, Softpelt and Greyfoot...

"We were surprised to find that you were Clan cats," continued the tom, "We haven't smelled your scent since we left our territory-"

"ShadowClan!" Exclaimed Darkpaw, rolling over and staggering to her paws. Now she could see the tom. He looked strange; he was a big tabby tom with his ears folded back against his head.

"Er... yes. I thought you knew, since you were coming out here, but you can't be any older then apprentices. I don't know why they'd send you." Said the Medicine Cat.

"They didn't send us." Said Darkpaw, and before she knew it the story was flowing out; how they found Carrionplace, the battle, running away, getting lost and finally coming to where they were now.

"Oh dear..." Gasped the tom, eyes wide as she finished her story. "I'll send Snowpaw and Sunpaw to get you some fresh-kill. Stay and rest."

As soon as the Medicine Cat had left the den, Darkpaw lay down, trying hard to fight her exhaustion. Despite her efforts she was asleep before the tom got back.

-----

It was like the light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. Growing closer and closer, but seeming just as far away. And then there was the smell; the overwhelming scents of pollution and two-legs, merged together in one sickening stench. Patchpelt staggered along beside the thunderpath, fighting the desire to curl up and die.

The sun was slipping down the sky, casting long shadows across the ground.

Patchpelt hummed absently as she walked, scenting the ground, hoping to catch of whiff of the apprentices, but her nose felt dead after sniffing the stinking thunderpath and raising her it to the wind where the scent of the city flooded her senses.

She didn't realize she was in the city until something hit her. Something big.

It smashed itself into her side, knocking her to the cold ground which stank as much as the thunderpath. Instinctively she struck out, hissing and swiping at her attacker. Patchpelt was scared; she couldn't smell it. Her own fear-scent mingled with city-stench filled the air making it impossible to detect anything that way. clan cats were trained to reply so much on their sense of smell she didn't know what to do without it. Her attacker seemed to strike her from all sides at once, knocking her around like a rag doll while she struck the air blindly, hoping to get in a hit.

"Clanpet!" It snarled. So it could smell her. But how would it know when it lived so far away from the Clan territories.

"I traveled a long way!" She squeaked pitifuly. "I'm looking for two apprentices so I can take them back home. I mean no harm, honest!"

There was the pause as the cat seemed to consider her words. After a while it nodded. "Come along then. We'll get you cleaned up."

-----

Patchpelt wasn't sure how long it had been, but by the time she was fed and had realized that this cat was a tom the moon had come up and the sun was gone. He had introduced himself as Scar and told her that there would be another cat coming soon. The old tortishell tom seemed friendly enough, chatty, even, now that he'd realized she wasn't an enemy.

"So how do you know about the Clans?" She asked.

Scar frowned at her, surprised by the question. "Oh. I thought you knew. A Clan came here a moon and a few days ago. They were all scared and decided to go live in the old woods next to the playground." Explained Scar. "They won't leave, but we had some parties up there earlier. All they did was kill cats, though. Their leader, Whitestar, still won't leave."

"ShadowClan."

"You know them?" Demanded Scar gleefully.

Patchpelt nodded. "Yes, but I don't think I could get them to leave."

Scar gave her a look. "Well you have to. Or I-"

"Or I'll tear you to shreds."

Both cats jumped at the sound of the cold, regal voice behind them. A white she-cat with black tiger stripes was padding towards them. Her markings weren't the strange thing, though; she was huge, easily twice Scar's size. The muscles the rippled beneath her thick pelt made her look even bigger and more menacing.

"Anni!" Squeaked Scar, bowing his head to the bigger cat.

She glanced at him, then looked over at Patchpelt. "Who are you?"

"Patchpelt." She said quietly. "From the south."

"A Clanpet. I'm Annihilation and here's our deal; get ShadowClan out of the forest and back to wherever they come from before the next full moon and I will spare your pitiful existence, understood." Said Annihilation, her voice still cold and regal, but she now seemed impatient at the same time. ShadowClan must be causing them some kind of trouble.

"Yes, Anni."

Annihilation's massive paw collided with the side of her head, knocking Patchpelt to the ground, and she didn't just fall; she slid across the hard, rough cement. "That's Annihilation to you, Clanpet."

Then everything went black.


	13. Alchemical Dominant

**CLANLIFE **

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead. _

_Our story begins one moon later. _

**ALCHEMICAL DOMINANT - Blacksmith's Pit - Sunset **

Smoothwater hissed and leaped forwards, meeting the small one in the air. The two cats toppled to the ground, colliding with the edge of the pit and slipping down towards the fire. Amberheart let out a squeak of surprise, but it was cut short as the massive tom slammed himself into her side, causing her to go flying and land in the marshy land a few tail lengths away.

She staggered to her paws, feeling dizzy. Blinking, she looked around to see where the others were. She could hear Cloudpaw shrieking from somewhere nearby.

"Rigidpaw! The fire!" Cried the rumbling voice.

Down in the pit Smoothwater rolled again, feeling the heat of the fire on his exposed flesh, but it wasn't his back to the fire. Rigidpaw, the she-cat, was hissing at spitting, keeping up the fight against Smoothwater while she ignored she stench of burning fur. Her burning fur. Smoothwater kept inching forwards, forcing her back towards the fire. As if she finally noticed she was cornered she spun around, seizing a chunk of metal between her teeth and waving it through the flames. Fire clung to her fur and whiskers, hissing as it burned down to her flesh, but she ignored it and struck Smoothwater in the side with the burning metal. He yelped and leaped backwards towards the edge of the pit, hissing angrily, horrified by the wrongness of it. Metal was for two legs, not for cats. But that clearly didn't matter to Rigidpaw, as she struck at him again, pushing the metal against his neck, despite his efforts to back away.

A battle cry cut through the air as Cloudpaw dove forwards towards Rigidpaw. She pulled the metal away from Smoothwater and held it upwards.

"No, Cloudpaw!" Cried Smoothwater, but it was already too late. A pained yowl cut though the air as the metal cut through his flesh with its searing heat. Smoothwater looked away, unable to bear the sight. He turned back up to the edge of the pit to see Greyclaw and Amberheart battling with two cats he hadn't seen before. That meant Riverstar was alone against the ginger tom and the dirty one.

Leaping up out of the pit, Smoothwater tore over to his mother, ramming himself into the ginger tom's side.

"Fight, Bloodtooth." Sneered the big one, or at least Smoothwater thought he sneered, it was hard to tell since his voice was so low and rumbling. "Use the claws."

Bloodtooth's new claws caught the retreating sunlight, blinding Smoothwater for a moment and filling his heart with fear. These cats were wrong. They were nothing like Tigerclaw, the dogs or any of the dangers Firestar had ever battled against; these weren't things the Clans knew how to fight and that scared him.

Bloodtooth pinned him easily, for Smoothwater was too busy trying to dodge the BloodClan deputy's claws to pay any attention to tactics.

Greyclaw yowled as two more cats raced toward the battle. One, a black and white she-cat, leaped on him and knocked him to the ground. He attempted to roll over, but she was much heavier then she looked, so he lunged forwards, snapping at her with his jaws, which caused her to lose her balance. She hopped back and Greyclaw got quickly to his paws. The BoneClan warrior snarled and attacked again, swiping at his side. He swiped back, ignoring the pain as the blood welled up in the gash the she-cat's claws had formed. His paws caught her cheek and sliced upwards at her eye. A caterwaul rose from the half-blinded cat and she staggered backwards, blinking furiously as if she hoped that would help her regain her vision.

Greyclaw jumped as something warm pressed itself against his injured side. Taking a deep breath he realized it was Amberheart. "Oh. Sorry."

"It's okay." She purred reassuringly, nuzzling him gentily.

They both turned as a sudden shriek split the air. Smoothwater. Amberheart bounded forwards, ramming herself into Bloodtooth's side. The BloodClan deputy hissed and swiped at her. Alarmed, Amberheart leaped back, landing awkwardly on the ground a few tail-lengths away. Pain shot through her body and she was unsure if Bloodtooth had actually hit her or not. But he was now staring at her, grinning broadly. "Liquiformash!" He called and the filthy tom looked up. When his eyes rested on Amberheart he, too, smiled. He suddenly lunged forwards, bowling her over the edge of the pit. She felt her head collide with the hard packed ground of the pit. Cries from up above echoed around her head, though one voice stood out over all;

"We can't kill her, yet."

-----

Dashfoot frowned. He had seen Mistyfur fall, but something else caught his attention. Two of the Carrionguards were leaving. He turned his head to see something going on over by ShadowClan's old camp. There was a battle there.

"Keep climbing!" Called a voice from below and Dashfoot quickly continued his ascent.

He soon reached the top and turned himself carefully around, then started the climb down. Up above him he could see Shadowpaw copied the RiverClan warrior's movement and began his descent. "Mistyfur fainted, didn't she?"

Dashfoot nodded, then remembered that Shadowpaw couldn't see him. "Yah, she did."

"Why?"

"Lionstar would know."

"Why would he know?"

"He knows her best. He trusts her to be his deputy, so he must know a lot about her." Explained Dashfoot.

"Oh."

A silence fell between the declining cats as they lowered themselves towards the stinking earth. Mistyfur was a sensitive cat and she had strong feelings towards the earth, but Dashfoot knew this was something big. He hadn't bothered to look at what was being kept in Carrionplace, and all he knew so far was that it smelled bad. Very bad.

Upon reaching the ground, Dashfoot hopped away from the fence and quickly found Mistyfur, who's fall had been cushioned by a pile of cats. Dashfoot knew instantly why she had fainted and he was pretty sure the other cats would understand too.

"They... have no teeth." Mumbled Mistyfur, her eyes opening slightly. She closed them again, then opened them wide, her breathing coming quick and shallow.

"The chosen one will rise, return to his- his- MASTER!" She panted and Dashfoot was pretty sure she'd gone mad.

"Uh... who?"

"Them. The dark ones. They're coming. Comei-" She stopped suddenly and her breath caught in her throat. She blinked again, though this time when she opened her eyes her pupils were gone, leaving two pools of green.

"They're taking him, spilling the blood. The good blood! Oh, why? But can't you see? Al-chem-i-cal." Her body began to convulse dramatically. "Al-chem-i-cal. C- coming. Alchemical is- Alchemical dominant. Spilling the blood. Alchemical." She chanted as her body jerked violently.

"Get her out of here!" Commanded Dashfoot, a little too loudly. The two remaining Carrionguards turned on them, bolting across the terrain to the small group. Hopepaw and Featherheart leaped down from the fence towards them, catching them a few tail-lengths before they arrived beside Mistyfur and Dashfoot.

"Come on, Shadowpaw." Said Dashfoot breathlessly and he helped the ThunderClan apprentice drag his leader from the horrible place.


	14. Something Wicked

**CLANLIFE **

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead. _

_Our story begins one moon later._

**SOMETHING WICKED... - ShadowClan camp - Sunrise **

Darkpaw awoke again at sunrise. She'd had a dream about ThunderClan. They were struggling with BoneClan, learning more but losing more at the same time. She was worried about her Clan and knew they needed to get back, but how? Coming here had been so confusing she wasn't sure how to get back, but at least Silvernest wasn't as chaotic as she'd first thought it to be. Or ShadowClan camp wasn't, but that was all that mattered right now. It was just like a normal Clan, though with a lot less warriors. The Clan was a home to a grand total of fourteen cats, only three of whom Darkpaw had met.

Greyfoot and Softpelt, the cats who had found her and Mudpaw, had come to visit her last night after she had woken up due to one of her nightmares. They told her about the other cats, giving them a few details about the grand BoneClan verses ShadowClan siege. The battle seemed interesting enough, though very one-sided.

"They all had these claws; thin metal extensions or ones made of bone, but Metalstar's were the worst. They were so big she couldn't even sheath them." Darkpaw could remember Softpelt saying.

During the whole time, Mudpaw had not awoken, though he was looking worse and worse every time she awoke, and after a while her nightmares became less and less StarClan-given, but real dreams that her head made up. And as that happened they became more focused on Mudpaw's death, though she woke up every once in a while to check if he was still breathing. He was.

"Everything alright?" Asked Curledleaf, the Medicine Cat, as he padded back into the den.

"Yes sir." Repiled Darkpaw, though she knew it didn't sound like everything was alright. Curledleaf smiled weakly at her and padded over to check on Mudpaw.

"He looks ill." Said Curledleaf worriedly. Obviously Mudpaw wasn't just 'ill' as Curledleaf put it. He was sick. Very sick.

"Is there anything you can do for him?"

Curledleaf shook his head. "It's shock. All psychosomatic."

"Come again?"

"Psychosomatic. All in the poor cat's head." Sighed Curledleaf, looking sadly down at Mudpaw. "Let's just hope he recovers."

"And if he doesn't?" Darkpaw wasn't really sure if she wanted to know the answer, but the question just came out.

"The cats been though a lot," Said Curledleaf sadly, "and if he doesn't recover well... how can I put it? He'll die."

Darkpaw swallowed a sob and nodded weakly.

"Now, let me show you the rest of the camp."

-----

By the time the sun was at it's highest point, Darkpaw knew all four warriors, the deputy, the leader, the two queens and their three kits. The apprentices were both out on a hunting mission. They were both about ready to become warriors, Whitestar said. Then he launched into a story about how they came with him and the other cat-show runaways when they were only kits and how they had been very good apprentices, training under the care of very talented warriors and stuff like that. Darkpaw only half listened. She was thinking about BoneClan. Their Clan was huge, and ShadowClan had been only average when they attacked. So did ThunderClan really stand any chance against BoneClan, even if ShadowClan did come back?

So now Darkpaw was padding around the camp, for once at a loss for anything to do. She thought about exploring Silvernest, but the ShadowClan cats seemed too busy to be a tour guide.

"You!"

Darkpaw jumped, guessing that the young voice was addressing her. She turned to see a white she-cat with pale silver spots dotting her pelt. She looked scared, annoyed and angry all at the same time, but acted a lot more calm then the bleeding orange she-cat who came staggering into the camp behind her.

Darkpaw knew their names already thanks to Greyfoot and Smoothpelt. These were the two apprentices; Snowpaw, the calm one and Sunpaw, the injured one.

"Yes?"

"Go tell Whitestar the Anni's got a new recruit. Now!" Snapped Snowpaw, turning to help a whimpering Sunpaw stagger to Curledleaf's den.

Though she had no clue who Anni was, by the tone of Snowpaw's voice Darkpaw knew this was important, so she dashed off to Whitestar's den and told him immediately.

Upon hearing Snowpaw's news Whitestar looked very worried. Whoever Anni was, he must be pretty bad. "Er... I think he's coming now." Darkpaw told him. "Sunpaw was hurt when they got back."

"He? Annihilation is a she-cat, a very big one. You have to see her to understand." Said Whitestar, his voice on the edge of hysteria.

"Annihilation? Doesn't that mean death or something?" Asked Darkpaw, and to her dismay Whitestar nodded in reply.

Darkpaw followed Whitestar out of the den and into the warriors den, where Whitestar collected the four warriors and Leopardspot, the deputy. He then sent Darkpaw to get Snowpaw and meet them just outside of the forest.

"Hurry up!" Called Snowpaw, even though Darkpaw was only a few steps behind her.

"I'm hurring." Snarled Darkpaw under her breath. A moment later she found they were outside of the forest where ShadowClan had formed a semi-circle around three cats. One of them was a big, muscular tortishell tom, but most frightening was a white she-cat twice his size. Black stripes stretched across her muscular body, twisting around her legs and tail like snakes. And then there was the third one; a cowering young she-cat. She didn't look that great, but definitely capable of fighting. She reminded Darkpaw of someone and the thought tugged at her brain but she was unable to put her tongue on exactly what it was about this cat.

She fell into the semi-circle beside Snowpaw, who was looking grimly at the threesome.

"Back off, Whitestar, or I'll send you to your precious StarClan!" Snarled the white one, who Darkpaw guessed was the leader. Annihilation. Her name suited her.

"Never!" Snarled Whitestar. "We've been driven from our territory once, but never again!"

Anni chuckled, cold and calm. "You'll never beat us; we have a new cat who can tear you apart."

The quivering she-cat nodded, looking much more likely to faint then to tear anyone apart, but she looked strong enough; muscles ripped under her thin layer of flesh and pelt and her tail was twitching excitedly, her eyes measuring the best places to strike. She was definitely a cat made to fight.

"We'll tear you apart!" Roared Leopardspot, arching his back and hissing at the threesome.

With a mighty roar, the big tortishell tom threw himself at Leopardspot, who was easily pinned to the ground. Around them cats flung themselves into battle. Nightgaze, a black tom with yellow eyes and one of the original ShadowClan cats, leaped into the tortishell tom's back to defend his deputy. "Back off, Scar!" He yowled.

Darkpaw yelped as suddenly something flew into her side. It was Anni's new recruit, who was compleatly capable to tearing someone to shreds. And now Darkpaw realized that she hadn't been afraid of fighting ShadowClan, she could taste the she-cat's exhilaration as she felw towards her, ramming herself into Darkpaw's side. This cat was afraid of Annihilation.

Darkpaw swerved to the side, swiping at the she cat who retreated back a few steps.

"Darkpaw!" She piped gleefully, then looked around, making sure there was no one else nearby.

"ShadowClan need to come back. They can help us defeat BoneClan. It's a win-win situation; Anni gets rid of ShadowClan, we get rid of BoneClan and ShadowClan gets their territory back."

Darkpaw stared at the cat, stunned. "You followed us?"

The smile slipped from the she-cat's face. "I couldn't go back."

"But- We can't leave now. Mudpaw's sick!" Protested Darkpaw, panic creeping into her heart. She couldn't abandon Mudpaw and Patchpelt couldn't make her. "I won't go."

Patchpelt sighed but nodded. "I'll tell Whitestar and we'll leave as soon as Mudpaw gets better."

"That might be a problem."

The two cats looked across the field. The cats had moved aside to form a circle around Annihilation and Whitestar.

"I see why." Said Patchpelt quietly.


	15. This Way Comes

**CLANLIFE**

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead. _

_Our story begins one moon later. _

**...THIS WAY COMES - Silvernest - Sunhigh **

Patchpelt and Darkpaw watched as Annihilation pinned Whitestar to the ground easily, shifting her bulk onto the Abyssinian's chest. He hissed and attempted to snap at her, but found he could hardly move. Annihilation smiled and her muzzle dove for the ShadowClan leader's throat.

"Wait!"

Anni stopped and looked up to see Patchpelt striding towards her. "What is it, Patchpelt?"

The gathered cats exchanged looks, recognizing the ThunderClan warrior's name. They knew Darkpaw and Mudpaw had come originally from ThunderClan and hoped that having Patchpelt here too would serve as an advantage.

"Like Darkpaw," Said Patchpelt, twitching her tail in Darkpaw's direction, "I am from ThunderClan. Give these cats three days to recover from this battle and I will lead them back to their territory. Their real territory."

Whitestar, seeing no other choice, nodded. "We'll go. In three days. If you..." His voice trailed off as Annihilation released him.

"And don't come back."

"We won't." Said Patchpelt before Whitestar could reply. He shot her a look but knew that she had the upper hand in the situation; Anni could always leap back on him and shred him like she was about to.

Anni nodded slowly, motioning with her tail for Scar tocome with her. The big tortishell tom hopped obediently to her side and the two cats padded away.

"Three days." Said Anni coldly, glancing back at them before breaking into a run. As soon as the snowy she-cat was gone, Whitestar motioned for his Clan to follow him back to the camp.

Patcheplt fell into step beside Darkpaw, who was looking worried. Patchpelt couldn't understand why; they had just stopped Anni from annihilating Whitestar and had convinced ShadowClan to return with them. "What's wrong."

"Mudpaw's dieing. He was really shocked when we almost got run over and hasn't woken up yet." Said the ThunderClan apprentice bitterly.

Patchpaw licked the she-cat's head reassuringly. "He'll be fine. He has three days."

Darkpaw nodded, though she didn't seem to be convinced. Patchpelt didn't blame her; they were all used to expecting the worst, yet Darkpaw didn't even seem hopeful. Maybe Mudpaw was worse then she thought. Or maybe he was already dead.

When they reached the camp the cats split, heading off to their dens, to the Medicine Cat's den or to the fresh-kill pile. Patchpelt and Darkpaw moved with Whitestar and Flamecloud towards Curledleaf's den. The leader and deputy, of course, got treated first, though Darkpaw observed that Curledleaf kept glancing over at Mudpaw, who appeared to still be alive.

When they finally left Curledleaf waited until they were long gone to speak to Patchpelt and Darkpaw, and even when he did his voice was quiet as if he expected someone to be straining to overhear.

"He said he would wait for you, but he's in a hurry." Said Curledleaf in an impatient whisper.

"Who?" Asked Darkpaw, frowning and praying that Curledleaf wasn't losing his marbles.

"Mudpaw. He was talking to Sunpaw, or so she says. Then when I let her go she told me that he wanted me to tell you what I just told you."

"Hun?" Patchpelt was staring at him as if their theory that he was going crazy had been confirmed.

Curledleaf glanced worriedly at Mudpaw again, then leaned closer to Darkpaw. "He's going to die."

"What?" Demanded Darkpaw, arching her back and hissing at the tom who shrunk back, frightened by the apprentice's sudden outburst. "You poisoned him!"

"N- No! I would never!" Squeaked Curledleaf, clearly terrified. Darkpaw did look mad; her fur still a mess from the battle and her eyes wide with fear that her best friend was actually going to die.

"Darkpaw, calm down!" Said Patchpelt, feeling just as scared as Curledleaf looked.

"Calm down! He killed Mudpaw! He k- killed him! It's his... fault..." Darkpaw was sobbing now and Patchpelt calmed, realizing that Darkpaw simply could not accept that her best friend was going to die. She wished she could comfort the apprentice, but she didn't know Darkpaw very well and wasn't sure what to say.

"Silly," Purred a calm voice, "I'm not dead yet." It was Mudpaw. He got shakily to his feet, his pupils so small they were hardly visible.

"Mudpaw!" Exclaimed Darkpaw, bounding over to her friend and touching her nose to his. He smiled weakly and nuzzled her.

"I'm sorry, Darkpaw. They're waiting for me." He spoke softly, as if he wasn't capable of talking any louder. He did look very weak, his steps tentative and shaky.

"Who? No... You can't go!" Said Darkpaw, stepping back so that Mudpaw could see her glistening eyes. "You can't."

The Siamese apprentice sighed and shook his head sadly. "You don't understand. They're waiting. Go back home; you'll be a hero. You found ShadowClan."

"No! You did! It was all your idea!" Whimpered Darkpaw desperately.

"You'll be a great warrior." Sighed Mudpaw.

"No! I can't do it without you!"

Mudpaw leaned forwards, touching his nose gently to hers for the last time. A breath escaped him and his young life seemed to go with it. A yowl of anguish escaped the heartbroken apprentice as her companion slipped to the ground, uttering her name for the last time; "Darkpaw..."

Another yowl split the air and Darkpaw, unable to contain her sorrow fled the camp. And as she ran the wind seemed to finish his unfinished sentence;

"Darkpaw... I love you."

**A/N:** DarkpawxMudpaw is SO cute! X3 It's so sad, though, but he's not the last one who is going to die tragically. You know what they say; all's fair in love and war.


	16. Warrior Blood

**CLANLIFE **

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead. _

_Our story begins one moon later. _

**WARRIOR BLOOD - Metalstar's Den - Moonhigh **

Amberheart opened her eyes. It took a minute for them to adjust to the darkness and even then she could hardly make out her paw in front of her face. Twitching her whiskers and scenting the air she managed to discover that she was in an underground cave where the dirt walls had been packed down. The scent of BoneClan filled her nostrils, especially the cold metallic stench of Metalstar. It was only when she heard the cold voice of the she-cat that she realized that the BoneClan leader was present here.

"Nice claws." She said and Amberheart could make out a shape outlined with ginger fur against the sky which could be seen though a small hole which served as an entrance to the deep pit in which Amberheart was now trapped in.

"Thank you, Metalstar." Replied the cat who's scent Amberheart recognized as the BoneClan deputy, Bloodtooth.

Metalstar purred, amused by her deputy's words, though Amberheart couldn't see why. "No need to be formal," Said the black she-cat, "old friend."

The scent of unease seemed to disappear, replaced by a sense of comfort. "Of course." Said Bloodtooth and Amberheart could imagine him smiling.

"But I did call you here for a reason."

He was worried again now, but Metalstar seemed more excited. Amberheart wondered if this had anything to do with her and quickly squeezed her eyes shut and pretended to be asleep.

"What's that?" Asked Bloodtooth making no effort to disguise his worry.

"We have the blood." Amberheart's ear twitched and that voice echoed in her head; 'We can't kill her. Yet.'

"Wonderful." Amberheart chanced a glance back at the two cats. In the darkness she could see nothing but the faint glint of Metalstar's claws. "Just wonderful."

-----

Fear struck Amberheart's heart. She had fallen asleep. Opening her eyes wide she looked up and realized that she was no longer in the cave, but instead under the cloudy sky. She was back in the pit where Cloudpaw had been killed by Rigidpaw and Liquiformash. She shivered at the memory, praying they wouldn't do something similar to her.

In the light of the fire she could easily make out the shapes of Liquiformash, the huge grey tom; Rigidpaw, his murderous apprentice; Metalstar, the BoneClan leader and her deputy, Bloodtooth and his new claws.

"Are you sure it's her?" Asked Rigidpaw, looking back at Bloodtooth unsurely.

He nodded. "Of course."

There was no wind, but a light rain was falling over the marsh. The rain was still not enough to put out the fire which was billowing deeply colored clouds of gray smoke. Amberheart scented the air, but the reassuring scents of the BoneClan trespassers had been washed away in the rain. She was alone.

"Let's do this." Came Liquiformash's rumbling voice. He stepped forwards and seized Amberheart by the scruff of her neck and dropped her to the ground next to the fire. "Metalstar."

The BoneClan leader stepped forwards and looked down at Amberheart who gazed back up at her fearfully. She could tell by their expressions that all the other cats were unsure about this, as if Metalstar was the only one who really believed whatever they were doing was right.

"Are you even sure this is going to work?" Asked Rigidpaw, rolling her eyes even though her fear-scent filled the air along with the rain.

Metalstar turned and nodded to her. "Of course. This is alchemy."

"And alchemy was invented by the two-legs!" Spat Rigidpaw. "Long ago when the Clan of the big cats walked the earth."

Metalstar heaved an exasperated sigh as if she had explained this countless times before and turned to face the apprentice directly. "Alchemy was not invented by the two-legs. It is the ancient art of turning metal into gold and, as it was, alchemy was invented by the HellCats."

Amberheart couldn't stop herself; "HellCats?"

Metalstar turned back and glared at her, raising a paw to split her stomach but decided against it and lowered it. "It's a darker art used to produce the Elixir of Life and the reason the HellCats were banished to the Underworld."

Amberheart stared at the BoneClan leader. What kind of lore was this? It wasn't anything she'd heard as a kit, of course, all she'd learned was the Clan lore. But what in the name of StarClan was alchemy? "What in StarClan's name are you talking about?" Demanded Amberheart, realizing that Metalstar couldn't kill her. She needed her for something, though Amberheart was yet to learn what that was.

"Why should I tell you?" Snarled Metalstar.

"She deserves to know." Said Bloodtooth, stepping forwards.

"Have I ever got what I deserved?" Hissed Metalstar, rounding on her deputy who shrank back fearfully.

"You'll get what you deserve when my Clan comes for me!" Yowled Amberheart.

The BoneClan leader sighed and gave up, turning back to Amberheart she said simply, "Warrior Blood."

"Warrior Blood?" Echoed Amberheart.

Metalstar nodded. "Since the HellCats were the inventors of alchemy, only the blood of one of their own can be used to make the Elixir. There is too much tainted blood these days. But there are a few..." Her voice trailed off, but Amberheart got the point.

"And I'm one of them?"

The black cat didn't answer her question, but began pacing around the fire. "The Elixir allows one to live forever, as long as they drink only it."

Amberheart gasped and got quickly to her paws. "No! I won't let you! Greyclaw will save me!" She snarled, though she had nowhere to move. They were all around her and the fire was at her back.

Metalstar leaped forwards, slashing at her side. Bloodtooth slipped a small wooden bowl across the ground to catch the blood that flowed from her newly formed wound.

"Perfect." Purred Metalstar. "Now to test it." She reached her paw forwards, letting the fire flicker around her claws. After a few minutes she moved them away, dipping her paw into the bowl. A few more minutes passed while Amberheart fell to the floor, whimpering pitifully. Then Metalstar slowly withdrew her paw from the bowl and looked at the claws, her eyes growing wide.

A yowl split the air and she leaped at Bloodtooth, pinning her deputy to the ground. "Fool! You brought me the wrong blood!"

Bloodtooth's voice quivered as he spoke, though he tried to stay calm. "I- I'm sure of it. I felt it. I know."

Metalstar released him and looked back over at Amberheart. "I say we spill it all." She took a step forwards and raised her paw, but at that moment a cry cut through the air. "Metalstar!"

The cats turned to see a small white tom appear at the rim of the pit. "Snapclaw and Nightpain's kits are coming!" He called down to them.

Metalstar growled and glanced over at Amberheart. "She can wait. Liquiformash, drag along the prisoner. Come, Tearpaw." She said, hopping up to join the white apprentice who looked back down at Amberheart and shivered.

"So she's the one?"

Metalstar grinned, teeth flashing in the light of the fire. "She's the one."

**A/N: **_Just so you know, the elexir of life is not a Harry Potter thing. JK Rowling did NOT make it up, which doesn't necessarily make it real either. I just love mythological-ish stuff like that._


	17. Curiosity Killed the Cats

**CLANLIFE**

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead. _

_Our story begins one moon later._

**CURIOSITY KILLED THE CATS - ThunderClan Medicine Cat's Den - Moonhigh **

"Are you sure she's alright?" Asked Lionstar, peeking into Snowtail's den.

The exasperated Medicine Cat turned to glare at him for the ninth time that night. "Yes. She'll be fine; she just needs to rest. And so do you."

"I know." Sighed Lionstar, padding into the den. Snowtail frowned at him but said nothing. "I'm going to the Moonstone. I won't cross across WindClan territory so they-" Lionstar stopped when he saw Snowtail shaking her head. "What?"

"Do you get it? This isn't about territory anymore. WindClan has made it obvious that they're with Metalstar. You can't go."

Lionstar shook his head. "I have to. No matter what anyone says." Even Firestar, he thought to himself.

Snowtail shook her head and looked sadly up at her leader. "Be careful."

He nodded and touched his nose to hers. "I will."

-----

Cautious paw steps carried Lionstar along the edge of the Thunderpath. It felt cold and alien beneath his paws and with it's stench filling the air he could smell nothing else. A dull roar sounded in the distance, though it didn't register in his mind as a threat; his heart was pounding so hard he couldn't concentrate on any other sounds. It was only when the monster was roaring in his ears that he realized he was in danger. The ThunderClan leader turned his head just in time to see the blinding lights of a two-legs monster, then something hard collided with his side throwing him through the air and he could see nothing at all.

-----

"I have to tell you something. Hurry."

Lionstar opened his eyes to see Graystar standing over him, his eyes wide with fear. The previous ThunderClan leader was alone, which surprised the orange tom. "Where are Firestar and Bluestar?"

The gray tom shook his head, glancing over his shoulder. "In the moonstone you'll be safe. Go before they get you. I'll tell you there."

Lionstar could feel himself slipping away. His body was healed now, but he didn't want to leave. Some threat had entered StarClan, but how? There was nothing that could compete against the ancient Clan in the stars. Before Lionstar could ask, however, Greystar disappeared and his eyes opened. He was back on the ground in a ditch beside the Thunderpath. His body ached but at least he was still alive, and away from whatever it was Greystar was fretting about. The fact that StarClan was afraid too scared him. It must have some connection with Metalstar and her Clan, but how? Perhaps Metalstar had more power then the Clans knew about yet.

Lionstar staggered to his paws and leaped from the wet ditch, shaking the water from his pelt as soon as he landed.

"Well, well. Who do we have here?" Lionstar spun to face Redclaw. The big black tom smiled and stepped forwards, his long claw extensions clicking against the paved path.

The ThunderClan leader stepped back, muscles tensing. "Stay back, Redclaw."

Redclaw shook his head, taking another step towards Lionstar, who this time held his ground. The two cats circled each other, Lionstar realizing he had no choice but to fight. Finally Redclaw dove forwards, rolling onto his back to slash at Lionstar's underbelly. Lionstar reared up, stumbling backwards into the pit.

A smile crept across Redclaws face and he stepped forwards, looking down at the trapped ThunderClan leader smugly.

At that moment a gust of wind tore through the clouds and Reclaw's back glowed silver in the moonlight. He looked up, then back at Lionstar. Growling deeply he turned towards BoneClan territory.

"I'll get you." He warned and dashed off.

Lionstar staggered to his paws and considered going after him, but when he stood the orange tom felt his hind legs hurt badly when he put his weight on them. There was no point trying to follow, but he still had to go to the Moonstone. He remembered Greystar's worry and shivered. Something was horribly wrong and it was up to Lionstar to find out exactly what it was.

-----

It wasn't long before the clouds had once again covered the moon, leaving Lionstar to find his way blindly through the near blackness of the night. By now the rain had grown harsher, like tiny thorns being thrust into his flesh. The wetness did him no good either and only made him colder.

Shaky paws brought him slowly across the path to Highstones where he staggered down the hill towards Mothermouth. Upon reaching the bottom he collapsed, panting and squeezing his eyes shut, willing the blinding pain to go away. It didn't, but it did become slightly more bearable and he got to his paws again. The ThunderClan leader felt his legs were no longer attached to him body; the cold pain was unreal, as if his bones were splintering, losing the ability to hold him up. In the darkness it was even harder. His senses felt as useless as the rest of his body, as if he was only a mind trying to explain where another cat should go without speaking, but his body obeyed, staggering and stumbling he finally made it to the Moonstone.

Lionstar staggered towards the stone, finally collapsing beside it. Taking deep breaths he pressed his nose to the cold, glowing stone and felt himself fall into unconsciousness.

-----

Even in the fields of StarClan, Lionstar found he could not stand. He still felt heavy and detached and his vision was blurred, turning the nighttime StarClan forest into a dark blur. He knew, however, that there was a cat in front of him, but it wasn't Greystar; it was a dark brown tabby tomcat whom Lionstar had never seen before.

"Where is... Greystar?" Asked Lionstar, barely managing to whisper.

The cat in front of his took a step closer, lowering his face to Lionstar's level so he could now see the tom clearly. His eyes shone with years of wickedness and hatred; hatred for Greystar, for Bluestar, for Firestar, for Lionstar and their Clan. Past the tom's lowered head Lionstar could see abnormally long claws digging into the earth. It seemed to connect with something the current ThunderClan leader had heard before but could not remember.

"Dead." Hissed the tom, his voice low and cold.

Lionstar raised his head slightly then lowered it in a feeble attempt to nod. "I know that, but where is he now?"

The cat chuckled, raising his muzzle to the sky, which was simply an unending black abyss overhead. When he looked down again his cold green eyes were narrowed with sobriety. "With Rusty."

Rusty. Finally everything clicked and Lionstar found he was able to think clearly again, though none of his thoughts were good. Rusty, Firestar by the Clans, was gone, and he had been killed by his mortal enemy.

Lionstar shrank back, looking fearfully into the tom's eyes. The brown cat stood up tall. He didn't have to puff out his fur to look completely menacing with his strangely long claws.

"You'll see them soon. Don't worry." The cat stepped forwards and Lionstar attempted to move back, but found he was frozen to the spot. He attempted to yowl for help, but the cry died in his throat as Firestar's lifelong enemy approached him.

Then the world began to fall away, swirling into a mist of blackness, the colors churning together until everything was silver, but as if it had been burned into his mind the shape of the cat remained.

Firestar was gone. Tigerstar had finally won.


	18. There and Back Again

**CLANLIFE**

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead. _

_Our story begins one moon later. _

**THERE AND BACK AGAIN - ShadowClan Camp - Sunhigh **

ShadowClan camp was centered by a large boulder that jutted out of the ground at an angle. It was atop this rock where Whitestar spoke from and in the shadow of its overhang that he slept.

The Clan leader was now positioned at the summit of the boulder, waiting for his small Clan to gather. When they had, which didn't take very long, he called to them; "Cats of ShadowClan, we've been here too long; this is not our home. Our home is the land that BoneClan took from us and that ThunderClan, not us, is now fighting to reclaim. We must return to reclaim our territory." He announced. His words were met with unsure yowls of agreement. Despite their uneasiness, Patchpelt had to admire ShadowClan's loyalty.

"Patchpelt will lead us down the road she took here. When she came it took nearly a moon to reach us, but now we will be ready for the journey. We must leave immediately to protect our land from BoneClan's evil." Again the cries rose, but this time the lust of battle got the better of them and more then one cat sounded wholehearted.

"Now, feast on the fresh-kill we have, for we will not be returning." Announced Whitestar, twitching his tail in a silent signal to Patchpelt before he leaped down from the rock.

When the crowd had gone to gorge themselves, Patchpelt met the ShadowClan leader under the overhang of the great stone.

"Patchpelt, your friend..." He began, but did not have to finish.

"She'll live. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Replied Patchpelt quietly, sitting down in the cold dirt.

Whitestar looked at her worriedly. He didn't want Darkpaw slowing his Clan down. "You don't really believe that, do you?"

Patchpelt purred, amused, but shook her head. "No, but she'll be fine."

The Abyssinian tom nodded, but still seemed doubtful. Patchpelt made no farther move to reassure him; Darkpaw would be fine and she knew it. It didn't matter if Whitestar believed or not.

-----

It was getting late and the sun was sinking slowly down the sky when Whitestar summoned his Clan and left the camp. Without a word the grim cats followed him through the forest.

Patchpelt was padding up front next to Whitestar with Leopardspot and Curledleaf behind her. Every few minutes she would glance back past the ShadowClan deputy and Medicine Cat to check the condition of Darkpaw, who was padding slowly along between Greyfoot and Softpelt, the two cats who had saved her. They would look up and smile weakly at Patchpelt and nod a silent promise to protect the poor ThunderClan apprentice.

"Halt!"

The cats turned to see Scar bustling importantly towards them with Annihilation trotting lazily behind him. When he reached the Clan he looked exhausted, though triumphant having finally found them.

Leopardspot hissed and stepped forwards, unsheathing his claws, but Whitestar twitched his tail and his deputy fell back with the rest of the cats.

"What is it, Scar?" Demanded Whitestar, his expression as cold as ice.

Now Annihilation arrived at his side, glaring down at Whitestar and digging her claws into the earth. Scar glanced hastily from Anni to Whitestar and cleared his throat importantly, though his discomfort was obvious. "Um... well, we-"

But Anni cut him off with a blow to the side which was only meant to push him out of the way. "We want to come with you. If we help fight this BoneClan we can be sure you'll win and never return to our city."

Whitestar looked back at Leopardspot for reassurance, but the ShadowClan deputy took this as permission to step forwards. "No! We don't need scum like you coming with us! We can fight our own battles!"

"Then why did you run away in the first place?" Demanded Darkpaw, stepping forwards. Patchpelt silently cursed the apprentice. What was she thinking?

Leopardspot was shocked by the question, but recovered easily. "Why you little..." And in a moment he was streaking through the air, his claws unsheathed. Darkpaw leaped to meet him and the two cats fell to the ground, hissing, spitting and swiping at each other.

Whitestar and Patchpelt could only gape in awe at the two cats. Annihilation rolled her eyes and looked away as if bored by the whole situation while Scar's eyes remained locked on the battle, his claws unsheathed with the lust of war. Finally Whitestar managed to croak, "Enough! Break it up, you two!"

The cats leaped away from each other, Leopardspot backing into Whitestar as if for protection and Darkpaw doing the same to Patchpelt.

"Darkpaw is right," Said Greyfoot, stepping between the apprentice and the deputy. "We lost once and we need help to prevent that from happening again. I say we let them come."

Whitestar nodded thankfully to Greyfoot and looked back up at Anni and Scar. "Yes, you can come."

-----

By nightfall it has started to rain. Patchpelt was sure they would make fast progress as long as they kept to the road and ate well. Of course, it was hard to find any food whatsoever out on this hills beyond; prey was scarce in the hills, expecialy this close to the road. Occasionally, however, a mouse or skunk might attempt to cross the road. The skunks were harder to catch, but the cats still managed to catch enough fresh-kill to feed them all.

Anni and Scar turned out not only to be wonderful hunters, but could also carry kits and run at the same time.

Even in the rain the traveling wasn't that bad, though Leopardspot was always grumbling about Darkpaw. They made quick progress and Patchpelt was sure that this time they might even reach the Clans in a matter of days.


	19. The Beginning

**CLANLIFE **

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead. _

_Our story begins one moon later._

**THE BEGINNING - ThunderClan Camp - Sunrise **

When Lionstar got back he went immediately to his den and slept for only a few hours before he was woken by the sunlight streaming into his den. He staggered out of his den into the ThunderClan camp to see that the cats had already gathered beneath the Highrock awaiting news from StarClan. With a sigh the tiered leader hopped up to the rock and in an instant everything came back to him. He wasn't relieved, though, but afraid. They would have to fight BoneClan. It was the only option left.

"Cats of ThunderClan!" He boomed down to his grim audience. "BoneClan has driven out ShadowClan, they've stolen Amberheart and are turning this forest upside down. I've had enough!"

Down below the cats bellowed out an enthusiastic reply, though they all knew what was coming and Lionstar could hardly bare to announce it.

"We have to fight them. Lightfoot will stay back to look after the kits, but Rustpelt will attend the battle. We need as many warriors as we can get." Announced the orange tom. Below the cats exchanged worried looks.

Finally Flamecloud spoke up, "But who will guard the camp?"

Lionstar had been hoping no one would ask this, as he had yet to believe himself on this matter. "They won't attack our camp. They want us, not our territory."

Underneath the rock the cats exchanged looks of confusion until Cloudysky spoke up, "What did you see at the Moonstone, Lionstar?"

The ThunderClan leader took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut. The images flowed back to him, more vivid then they had been the first time; he could see Tigerstar in his minds eye, towering over him. Lionstar shuddered and opened his eyes to shake the horrible image from his head. "I saw Tigerstar."

And that stopped any farther questions. The camp grew strangely silent and though Lionstar hopped down from the rock and padded away to the Medicine Cat's den they stood where they were as if they expected him to return at any moment and tell them it was all a joke. Lionstar wished he could, but he tore his gaze away from his perplexed Clan and found himself running to Snowtail's den.

-----

"I heard." Said the Medicine Cat coldly as Lionstar padded in.

Ignoring her, Lionstar cast around the den. "Where is Mistyfur?" He asked, padding farther into the den.

Snowtail sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry, but she..." The Medicine Cat sighed. "Passed away."

"WHAT?"

Snowtail looked into her leader's eyes, all her irrational hatred for Lionstar faded away and was replaced by sorrow for the orange tom. "Yes. She died while you were gone. I suppose it was for the best; it was a horrible sight. She just lay there twitching and screeching that she didn't want to go for hours until she suddenly went quiet." The Medicine Cat shuddered at the thought and looked away from Lionstar. "Good luck in the battle. Get RiverClan to help you. I'll stay back and hunt for any cat who returns."

Lionstar nodded and touched his nose to Snowtail's.

-----

Taking a deep breath the orange feline hopped back onto the Highrock and addressed his Clan just as the crowd was beginning to break up. "I have another important announcement for you!" He declared, catching their attention. As soon as the cats had gathered again he continued, "Mistyfur, our beloved deputy, has passed away. We have no time to mourn now; StarClan is in as much danger as we are and Mistyfur as well as the other cats of her new Clan need our help. Greyclaw, as my new deputy your first duty is to go to RiverClan and tell Riverstar to bring all her cats to ThunderClan immidiently."

Greyclaw stood, stunned for a moment before nodding his head weakly and fleeing the Clan camp.

Lionstar watched him go, praying he'd made the right choice.

-----

The grey tom could hardly believe it. Even now as he dashed thought the forest towards RiverClan he kept expecting himself to wake up at any moment and find that this had all been a dream. A very bad dream. Of course he was glad that he had been made deputy, but Amberheart had just been kidnapped by BoneClan who Greyclaw was sure would be the death of him.

He crossed the stepping stones and made his way hastily through RiverClan territory. It was hard to remember where the camp was. Though he had been there only the day before it seemed as if it had been an eternity, but he managed to find the Clan camp just the same. When he arrived there Riverstar was speaking to her Clan. Greyclaw opened his mouth to speak but closed it immediately as he caught her words.

"Cats of RiverClan, BoneClan is a bigger threat then any we have ever faced. We need more cats, so though it is a few days before you truly become six moons, I find it necessary that some of our kits are apprenticed early. Snowsong's kits are still too young to be made apprentices immediately, but with the mothers of these kits we should have enough to defeat BoneClan." The Clan looked doubtful, but Greyclaw could scent the kit's excitement at the thought of early apprenticeship. "The kits I speak of are, Rootkit, Jumpkit, Frostkit, Rubykit and Copperkit, all who will grow into fine warriors under the watchful eye of their mentors. First I would like to summon Rootkit up to the Tallstone."

Rootkit, a small brown tom scrambled up the jagged edge of the tall rock jutting from the ground atop which Riverstar stood. She touched her nose gently to that of the kit before looking back down at her Clan. "Sandstorm, you have trained under the watchful eye of two of our most talented warriors. I hope you will pass on everything you have learned to Rootpaw."

Rootkit hopped down from the rock, stumbling as he hit the ground but regaining his footing in time to touch his nose to that of his new mentor.

"Next the siblings Jumpkit and Frostkit come up to the Tallstone to be granted their apprentice names!" Yowled Riverstar and the two kits gladly hopped up the rocky edge of the rock to meet their leader at the top.

"Jumpkit, though you have been previously raised in WindClan your father was loyal to his mate here in RiverClan and gave up his life to save you. It is my wish to grant you a mentor with courage that may match that of your father. A mentor like Smoothwater." The RiverClan leader gazed lovingly down at her son as Jumppaw hopped from the Tallstone to touch noses with him. Then the blue-grey she-cat turned to Frostkit. "Frostkit, as your mentor I shall grant you none other then our courageous deputy, Stonefur."

Frostpaw bowed her head respectfully before hopping down to the ground and having her nose colide harshly with Stonefur's. The grey tom chuckled and lead his apprentice back into the crowd.

"Now, Rubykit and Copperkit." Said Riverstar and waited for the two young cats to arrive atop the Tallstone before continuing. "Before they became queens, Gentilflower and Spottedleaf were both spectacular warriors, and now I pray that they will also be spectacular mentors to you two. Rubypaw, you will be mentored by Spottedleaf and Copperpaw, Gentilflower will be your mentor."

Again the kits descended and greeted their mentors as the others had. When the cats were looking up at their leader expectantly again Riverstar announced, "Now, I want Smoothwater to go to ThunderClan to tell Lionstar that we have chosen now to go into battle against BoneClan."

"I'm afraid that won't be necessary." Every cat turned towards the entrance of the camp and noticed Greyclaw standing there for the first time. "You know, great minds think alike."

A purr of amusement escaped Riverstar and she hopped down from the rock and padded over to the new ThunderClan deputy.

"We need all your cats to come to our camp. Now."

-----

It took a while to get everything sorted out, but it was finally decided that only Lightfoot, the elders and Snowtail would remain in ThunderClan camp while the rest of the ThunderClan warriors along with every RiverClan warrior and apprentice, including Riverstar an Stonefur, would come fight in the battle against BoneClan. Snowtail would be sent periodically to the battlefield to deliver food to the ThunderClan warrior while it was Silverstream's duty to deliver prey to RiverClan. The leaders of the two Clans had decided that using Medicine Cats for this job would be safest, as it was against the warrior code to attack a Medicine Cat.

By the time everything was sorted out the sun was hanging high in the sky above the heads of the two Clans. Lionstar now knew how Firestar must have felt, leading his Clan into battle against BloodClan all those moons ago. With a sideways glance to Riverstar he knew she didn'd feel much different; her face was set in a look of grim determination and did not change as they approached the Thunderpath and it's stench filled the air. None of the cats seemed to pay much mind as the made their way up onto the path.

Suddenly Lionstar froze. He felt Riverstar's muscles tensing beside him and could almost taste her hostility. He hadn't thought of this, though now he found it quite stupid that it had never occurred to him.

Across the Thunderpath stood a large group of cats. They looked surprised to see Lionstar and Riverstar, though the black tom leading them smiled at the two Clans. Despite the horrid smell of two-legs and their monsters, the scent of the black cat reached Lionstar clearly and he knew this was worse, much worse, then the scent of the black path he currently stood on; this was the scent of certain death, the scent of horror and torture, this was the scent of a nightmare come true.

This was the scent of WindClan.


	20. Sweet Revenge, Sweet Blood

**CLANLIFE**

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead. _

_Our story begins one moon later. _

**SWEET REVENGE, SWEET BLOOD - Thunderpath - Sunset **

The leaders of the three Clan stepped forwards, standing with their noses hardly an inch away from each other.

"What are you doing here?" Demanded Lionstar, claws unsheathed, as were Riverstar's.

Redclaw, the WindClan deputy purred with amusement and stepped back from the leaders, proceeding to pace around the twosome. While he did so Lionstar noticed a particular absence in the throng of cats before him. It took a moment for him to realize who that was but when he had his pupils dilated with fear and rage.

The ThunderClan leader spun around to turn on Redclaw who stopped his pacing immidiantly. "Where is Tallstar?" Both cats were big and muscular, though by the glossiness of deputy's pelt it was clear who had eaten better in the last few days. It was also clear who would come off better in a fight.

"Dead." Announced Redclaw, taking a swaggering step away from Lionstar and smiling almost tauntingly.

Lionstar looked as if someone had just delivered a slap to his face. He stumbled backwards as few steps and glanced sideways at the solemn-looking WindClan. "You killed him." Breathed the orange tom.

The black cat nodded. "And I'll kill you too."

Black paws left the ground and the tom soared through the air towards Lionstar but was knocked from the air at the last moment by a filthy white clump of fur. The two tumbled to the ground, the white tom hopping nimbly away and turning to face his opponent.

"Snapbone!" Exclaimed Hopepaw, hopping forwards.

Redclaw spun around, splitting opened the young she-cat's nose. "Silence!" He commanded, and that was what he received; the cats became quiet and Hopepaw shrunk back, cowering beside her brother, who looked just as fearful. After a few minutes of utter silence Snapbone leaped forwards again, pinning the WindClan cat to the Thunderpath.

"Don't touch her." Snarled the thin white tom, eyes wide wit rage. Redclaw attempted to chuckle, but it came out as more of a hysterical giggle. He was afraid of Snapbone, Greyclaw realized, stepping forwards to Lionstar's side. Redclaw was scared of Snapbone.

Rolling to the side the black warrior freed himself from the white warrior and padded around him, looking amused. "When was the last time I saw you? Was I driving you out? Oh no, back at the battle in my territory." Redclaw turned on Lionstar, glaring coldly at the tabby tom. "I should have killed you then too, but I won't make the same mistake again this time."

Lionstar couldn't move. His feet felt heavy, like rocks. It was fortunate that Snapbone was there, he leaped up, colliding with Redclaw's side as the black tom flew through the air towards Lionstar.

A rumbling started up in the distance as the two cats clawed viciously at each other, blood splattering the path along with black and white fur. They took no notice as the faint sound drew closer, until a large red shape appeared on the horizon, making good time right towards them.

It took a moment for the cats who's eyes were not locked on the battle to realize what it was, and when they finally managed to get the words out it was too late; the two-legs monster roared towards the cats. They all looked up, the eyes of Snapbone and Redclaw grew wide. No one moved until the monster was almost on top of them, then Shadowpaw managed to croak, "Run!"

Cats leaped from the path, pushing and shoving as they struggled to remove themselves from the monster's path. Redclaw and Snapbone staggered to their claws and the white tom turned to run, but Redclaw leaped at him, pinning him to the road and jumping away at the last moment. A sickening crunch split the air and Lionstar flinched.

Slowly cats peered up from the pit lining the edge of the path. The monster had moved on, leaving the broken body of the deputy lying on the road.

"This is your fault!" Snarled Riverstar, turning on Redclaw who grinned victoriously.

"Well, of course it is, but thank you for stating the obvious."

"Murderer!" Cried Riverstar, lunching forwards and knocking the big black tom to the ground.

"That will be enough."

Every head presently intact turned to the opposite side of the path. There stood a black she-cat, her huge metal claws glowing in the diminishing sunlight. She was flanked by cats that stretched far down the sides of the road with more assembled behind them. Possibly the whole of BoneClan was present.

"What do you want?" Demanded Riverstar, hopping forwards off the murderous Redclaw towards Metalstar.

The black she-cat purred and stepped forwards onto the Thunderpath. "I see your grasp of the obvious has failed you," Said the BoneClan leader, almost laughing. When she spoke again, however, her voice was cold and quiet, "I want you to die."

Riverstar blinked as if she had never guessed this, as if the fact that someone wanted her dead came like a blow to the face. But it wasn't that, it was the fact that the BoneClan leader sounded tortured, her voice filled with so much sadness and pain that Riverstar almost felt sorry for her. Almost.

A sudden gasp split the air behind her. She turned to see Jumppaw starting up at the sky, her jaw hanging opened. The gathered cats followed the RiverClan apprentices gaze to see that the sun had slipped down past the horizon and above them lay not the starry sky, but a forest much like theirs. No Thunderpath ran across it and the forest ran for miles with only a river staining the perfect landscape hanging in the sky above them. Through the faraway branches in the trees above them they could make out cat shapes moving in the heavens.

"What is this?" Asked Cloudysky, his voice hardly a whisper.

No one could answer that question; even Metalstar looked stunned at the sight, frightened by the wrongness.

Though none of the Clan cats had ever doubted that there was a Clan in the sky, they suddenly came to realize that there really was a Clan up there, a Clan they could now see.

A small sparkle of light floating up into the sky caught their eyes. It was cat shaped, though sparkling white like no cat they had seen before. It was Snapbone on his way to StarClan.

The spellbound cats watched as the spirit of the tom floated towards the sky. The light sank down towards the trees, though as it touched their branches a flash of red light lit the air and a deafening yowl of pain split the air. And what did Metalstar do? She laughed. While every other cat was staring in horror at the sight, the black she-cat raised her head to the forest-sky and let out a roar of laughter. This seemed to reassure the BoneClan and WindClan cats who gave a halfhearted chuckle.

"You're going to die!" Gasped Metalstar, laughing hysterically now. "You're going to die and we're going to live forever!"


	21. Oath

**CLANLIFE **

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead. _

_Our story begins one moon later._

**OATH - Barley's Farm - Moonrise **

Heavy breathing told Flash that this cat was still alive. He'd been scared for a while, thinking such a mangled creature must be dead, but he'd realized that he couldn't be when the tom had started screaming. After he'd fallen silent again the tabby tom had been worried, but he was now relieved that the black and white feline on the floor before him had still not crossed over yet.

Tallstar knew he wasn't dead. He wasn't sure what had happened, but here he was, wherever here was. He could hear himself breathing and could feel another cat close by with his whiskers, but his nose was no longer working; all he could smell was blood. All he could taste was blood, all he could remember was blood.

Someone had done something to him. What?

Someone... Who?

It happened a while ago. When?

He was somewhere. Where?

Someone had hurt him. Why?

The questions swirled around in his head, making him dizzy. Tallstar groaned, feeling as if he was lying on water. He opened his eyes and found he couldn't see. Couldn't see but could feel. And he felt pain.

A scream. The other cat screamed.

Why?

"Why?"

"You- you-" The other cat was stammering; it was scared. Of what? "You have no eyes!"

No eyes? What kind of mutated creature had no eyes? What was this insane cat talking about, and why couldn't he see? Tallstar blinked, trying to clear his vision, which apparently was impossible to clear. He raised a paw to rub his eye, which closed instinctively. As he pressed his paw against it the flesh sank into what felt like an empty hole and then came the stomach-churning revelation; it was him, Tallstar, who had no eyes. They were gone! Stolen! His poor, precious eyes were gone! His breath quickened as panic consumed him. The cat seemed to scent this, as he moved back from the former WindClan leader nervously.

"No... don't go. Don't... leave me." He said, whimpering pitifully though he didn't understand why. He was sad about something, something more horrible then losing his vision. "Redclaw."

He wasn't sure where the name came from, but the second he spoke it his thoughts were unlocked. His deputy had tried to kill him and went off to help Metalstar. He'd always been helping her, but had left Tallstar alive because the cats trusted him more. But now Redclaw didn't need him anymore. There was something going on in BoneClan territory.

A sudden yowl split the air, it seemed to come from all around him, filling the air with pain and hopelessness. Tallstar wished he had died. StarClan must need him for something though; he still had a purpose, a reason.

"I'll kill him." He announced. "I'll kill Redclaw."

Flash didn't understand what was going on, but he knew enough of the Clan affairs that Redclaw was the WindClan deputy and it must be him who had done this to Tallstar, for that was what he said. "I'll take you to him." Offered the tabby tom. "Then you can kill him."

Tallstar nodded gratefully. "Tell me your name."

"Flash."

The crippled tom nodded thoughtfully. "Flash... the runaway kitty-pet. You're a good cat. Thank you."

Flash nodded, unsure what to think of being praised by a cat who looked like Tallstar. To say the least, he didn't look good; his fur was torn out in spots and his tail... well it would be impossible to use a simlie nor a metaphor to describe it, so let's just say it didn't look much like a tail. His ears had been torn to ribbons and the flesh around his empty eye sockets spotted with blood. No, Tallstar was definitely not a very good looking cat.

While his good looks were beyond repair, his loyal personality was still intact, so he made one last promise, sure that it would be the last he would ever make.

"I swear I'll kill him. I swear in StarClan's name that I will stop Redclaw's heart, and then I'll come and chase him out of StarClan."

And it was indeed the last promise Tallstar ever made.


	22. Love You Forever

**CLANLIFE **

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead._

**LOVE YOU FOREVER - BoneClan Territory - Moonrise **

Lionstar didn't bother to reply, but leaped at Metalstar, catching her off guard. He yowled out to the other cats who joined him in the attack, leaping into battle against the opposing cats.

The battle moved quickly into BoneClan territory, as Lionstar continued his fight near the edge of the Thunderpath, dodging Metalstar's massive claws while making sure to get some of his own blows in. He found himself tiring quickly, however, but refused to give up.

-----

Meanwhile, Greyclaw found himself locked in battle against Redclaw. The tom was indeed capable to killing Tallstar; he was much bigger and stronger then Greyclaw, though the grey tom found that he was faster.

He darted around, dodging many blows and having many of his own blows dodged as well. Blood splattered the ground as the fight wore on. Sometimes Greyclaw found that Redclaw was on top of him, bearing down on him with teeth flashing in the dim light that seemed to arise from the earth itself. Other times the ThunderClan deputy found himself atop the black tom who would knock him off easily as if he weighed nothing. All the while the forest in the sky stretched across the limits of their vision, touching the ground at the horizon.

A yowl split the air and Greyclaw wriggled underneath the heavy form of Redclaw, trying desperately to free himself. Finally he managed to knock the tom off balance and quickly rolled away before getting clumsily to his paws.

-----

The two black cats were hardly visible in the darkness as they wrestled, clawing at biting each other, staining the ground with blood. Claws flashed in the earth-light as they fought, and the blows came harder and harder on the smaller cat.

Crowpaw.

Shadowpaw had recognized her the second he caught sight of her small form cowering behind her mentor. She looking far from as brave as she had when he'd first fought her, of course then it was WindClan with the advantage. Now she was at his mercy with no one to protect her from being torn to ribbons.

A glance up from the battle told the ThunderClan apprentice that they were approaching Carrionplace, and the scent of the gentile nighttime wind told him that they were far from the heart of the battle now. All he needed to do was glance up for Crowpaw to take advantage. She leaped upwards, landing on top of him and crushing Shadowpaw to the ground. Hissing, he attempted to roll over but failed and found himself trapped uncomfortably under the WindClan she-cat. He tried again, shaking and twitching, anything to get out from under Crowpaw. Finally he gave in and lay still, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. Concentrate...

"What's going on at Carrionplace?" Demanded Shadowpaw finally. "That place killed Mistyfur, I deserve an explanation."

Crowpaw's weight shifted and Shadowpaw managed to shake her off. He spun around towards her, claws unsheathed, but stopped in his tracks when he saw her. The small black she-cat was curled up in a ball whimpering. "I don't know. Redclaw won't tell anyone. Everyone knew he was up to something. He was using Tallstar and he killed him because no it's too late. Give up!" She looked up at Shadowpaw, her pupils almost invisible in her big yellow eyes, both brimming with despair. "There's no going back now."

Shadowpaw shook his head as the yellow of Crowpaw's eyes consumed her pupils compleatly. "No, Crowpaw, what-"

By now the twitching had started, exactly as it had happened to Mistyfur. "Oh! The blood! Spilling! Draining! Ah- Alchemical! Dominant! Alchemical dominant!" Hollared the apprentice.

"No!" Gasped Shadowpaw panicking. "No, Lionstar will win..."

"Alchemical!"

"TunderClan..."

"Dominant!"

"RiverClan..."

"Alchemical!"

"StarClan..."

This time there was a pause before Crowpaw bellowed the next word, "Dominant!"

"No! StarClan! StarClan dominant! We will win!"

"Al...chemic...al..." The uncertainty in her voice was clear and Shadowpaw was sure he could make out thin slashes of black through those deep pools of yellow.

"StarClan!"

"StarClan..." She whispered.

"Dominant!"

"Dominant..." Echoed Crowpaw, nodding slightly.

"StarClan Dominant!"

Her next reaction was the last thing Shadowpaw expected; the small WindClan apprentice burst out sobbing, her anguished cries echoing through the night. Feeling sorry for her, Shadowpaw moved over to comfort her. As he did so, Crowpaw looked up again and let out a horrified yowl. "No! It's her!"

Shadowpaw turned slowly to see Metalstar looming over him. A few tail-lengths back stood a breathless Lionstar, mouthing words he had not the breath to voice.

"Alchemical..." Whispered Shadowpaw, staring defiantly up at the BoneClan leader.

"Metalstar to you, kitty-pet." She said coldly, shoving him aside so that she was standing over Crowpaw, who cowered at her feet, whimpering miserably. With her big metal claws, Metalstar removed the apprentices head.

Shadowpaw turned away from the gruesome sight, just as Lionstar regained his breath and charged at the black she-cat.

"Run!" He commanded as he ran, pushing off the ground and ramming himself into his enemy.

Shadowpaw didn't need telling twice. He turned and ran, and only when he stopped to catch his breath and looked up did he realize that he was standing before the metal wire walls of Carrionplace.

-----

Take deep breaths. Greyclaw staggered, his body felt numb and beaten. He waved his paw blindly in front of him, too dizzy to make sense of the swirling images of Redclaw before him. Hot pain burned through his left side, though died away to a dull pain like the rest of his body had before it. Again he swiped for the black warrior and again he missed. The strength going nowhere put him off balance and he stumbled forwards, collapsing to the ground, dazed and uncoordinated.

Looming above him was Redclaw, his face set in a victorious grin. He won; in a few more moments Greyclaw would be dead.

-----

Jumppaw felt numb. She wasn't sure how she'd managed to survive this long, but apparently she had. As far as she could tell, being apprenticed early had no advantages as she'd expected it to have. Simply having a name ending in 'paw' did not give her strength, it was training that did that; she was still a kit, no matter what her name was. No matter how wise she was. Jumppaw was a still a kit, a kit who would die to save her Clan, but a kit nonetheless.

All thoughts of being a kit along with her numbness vanished as she caught sight of two cats fighting near ShadowClan camp. She stood, frozen to the spot as two cats, an orange tabby and a blind black and white tom, tore across the clearing towards them. Towards Redclaw and Greyclaw.

The black and white tom threw himself at Redclaw, bowling him over. Greyclaw did not get up, but lay where he was, looking utterly confused while the orange tom looked over him.

It took a few minutes before it finally registered in Jumppaw's brain that the black and white one was Tallstar.

-----

Grayclaw could only stare in awe as the mutilated form of Tallstar flew over him, knocking Redclaw away.

"I thought you were dead!" He heard Redclaw yowl. With an immense effort, Greyclaw rolled over to see the two toms. They were standing eye-to-eye socket, seizing each other up.

"StarClan has granted me another life in the name of revenge!" Roared Tallstar, charging blindly forwards. Redclaw sidestepped and raised a claw, splitting opened his former leader's side. A tortured cry arose from the old warrior. He'd lived a long life, Greyclaw knew. Tallstar had been respected by all cats, even Firestar who had fought along side him at the battle against BloodClan so many moons ago. And now Tallstar was dead.

-----

The young tortishell she-cat watched in horror as Tallstar's body fell for the last time. It took much effort to keep herself from crying out at the loss of such a fine warrior, and possibly WindClan's last hope.

The spellbound apprentice watched as Redclaw moved back over Greyclaw and the orange tom backed away, ears flattened against his skull. A smile spread across the murderous WindClan leader's face and he raised his gaze to the forest above them to watch as a howl of pain errupted from Tallstar's spirit as a red flash of light erupted above the sky-forest. Redclaw laughed.

Suddenly Jumppaw dashed forwards, leaping at Redclaw and catching his throat in her claws. She moved them away and bit down hard until all she could taste, smell and see was blood. Redclaw shook her off and opened his mouth to cry out. Only a dull gurgling sound was emitted along with a stream of blood that matted the fur on his black muzzle.

Outraged, Redclaw leaped at Jumppaw, slashing her chest with the last of his strength. And the last words Redclaw ever heard were said with so much anguish that the WindClan leader almost felt sorry for these cats, but not quite.

-----

"Jumppaw!" Cried Greyclaw and tried to say something more, but his voice caught in his throat so that all he could do was sob.

Jumppaw smiled sadly up at him where she lay in the grass, bubbles of dark blood blossoming from her chest where Redclaw's claws had torn through her flesh. "I love you." She whispered, her eyes falling closer.

"Jumppaw..." Greyclaw found he was smiling too. Getting painfully to his paws, he leaned over Jumppaw, flattening down the fur on her forehead with his tongue. "...Whitestorm would be proud."

Jumppaw bobbed her head slightly and purred. "Died like a warrior..."

"And lived like one too."

Her body fell limp and Greyclaw watched as he spirit rose towards the forest in the sky. An anguished cry split the air as it reached the tree tops, and in an explosion of red light it disappeared. Jumppaw was gone. His Jumppaw. Something was wrong.

Greyclaw turned franticly, searching the battlegrounds for Metalstar. She would know what was going on. He felt his nose collide with something hard and smelling of smoke. He looked up into the face of a dusty grey tom who leaned down, taking him by the scruff of the neck and lifting him into the air. A rumbling laugh echoed around him before everything went black.

**A/N: **_A tribute to Greyclaw: like most of the ThunderClan cats, Greyclaw is based off a real cat known as Grey. He dissapeared a while ago after his owners recieved a threatening note to keep him inside. During his time here he was the nicest cat ever. May he live happily up in StarClan._


	23. True Blood

**CLANLIFE **

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead._

**TRUE BLOOD - ShadowClan Camp - Moonhigh **

While Greyclaw lay with the firelight playing over his filthy grey fur, the battle raged around him. He did not know why he was here, but when he returned to consciousness, the first thing that registered in his dizzy head was the warm scent of Amberheart. He relaxed, trying to tell himself that it was all okay. But it wasn't okay. Jumppaw's death still lay heavily on his heart and the sounds of battle around him quickened his heart with excitement and fear.

As he became more aware of his surroundings, other scents came to him; fire, ash, metal, BoneClan, earth and there was another scent that he couldn't place because it wasn't real. Yet it was real, something that swirled in and out of reality, dancing back and fourth over that thin line that divided the truth from fiction. Perhaps by now Greyclaw, too, had crossed that boarder.

-----

Amberheart was terrified. Liquiformash and Rigidpaw had kept close to her since Metalstar had gone off, and now she was back, though with her was another she-cat. She was white with cold blue eyes and scars making her well-muscled body. She and Metalstar stood on the rim of the pit, looking down at Amberheart who lay on the ground beside Rigidpaw.

It had been a while since Liquiformash had joined Rigidpaw with his own captive; Greyclaw, who had been unconscious until now. He seemed confused now that he was awake, scenting the air as if he was trying to catch something just beyond his reach.

Amberheart forced herself to look away, unable to bear the sight of her friend who had possibly gone crazy. She shivered, looking up at the two cats on the rim, they both seemed to glow silver in the earth-light. Past the shadows that fell over their faces, Amberheart could see their smiles. They did not look evil and power-hungry as she'd expected, but warm and victorious. The white one even looked proud and she purred a word of praise to Metalstar which made her glow with pride. Could it be that Metalstar looked up to this cat? This wasn't the way evil villains were supposed to be; they were supposed to be ruthless and uncaring, like Scourge had been. These cat's weren't, though.

Swiftkill, the white and orange tom who had once been a ThunderClan prisoner, joined his leader at the edge of the pit and shoved Smoothwater down over the edge. The fur-less tom fell limply to the ground and grunted. One of his paws was twisted at an odd angle. His eyes were opened, but clouded over with pain and desolation. Again, Amberheart looked away.

"One left." She heard Metalstar say.

She glanced up and caught the white she-cat nodding. She definitely looked proud of Metalstar, and perhaps a little scared too. Metalstar could easily rip her apart, though Amberheart didn't think that was the reason; the BoneClan leader had power now.

Amberheart turned back to Greyclaw to see that Liquiformash was gone again. Between then and when he bounded to the rim, tossing Riverstar down into the pit to join them, Amberheart was given no time to wonder where he was.

As soon as he stepped down into the pit Metalstar purred gladly and joined him beside the fire.

"They're all here."

Amberheart looked around at Greyclaw, Riverstar and Smoothwater. This was the group from when they'd first captured her. They were all here, all terrified of Metalstar and the horrible wrongness she'd brought down upon the Clans.

"Now, let the fun begin."

The white she-cat padded down into the pit beside Metalstar, who turned to Amberheart first. "I'll give you a minute to explain before you all die."

Amberheart's mouth felt dry, but she managed to squeak out a few words about the Elixir and the HellCats, or all she remembered. The three of them seemed to get the idea, as they all looked away from Amberheart, even Greyclaw. They blamed her. The Siamese warrior felt like crying, but instead she only looked into Metalstar's eyes defiantly, not knowing exactly how she managed to hold the she-cat's cold, yellow gaze.

"You heard her," Said the BoneClan leader finally, nodding to Rigidpaw. "First we spill all of her blood, then we'll try the others."

-----

Shadowpaw looked around. There was no Carrionguards on duty, so he slipped through the east entrance and stopped in his tracks, looking around at the dead bodies littering the ground. The scent of sickness and death filled the air. It wasn't the bodies that drew him farther in, but a dark shape against the forest-sky. It was another body set up high on a tall poll reaching out from the earth. He stepped closer to it, looking up and down the poll, closer, closer until his nose was against the wood. The light emitted from the ground seemed to bleed into him as his body was soon glowing with the same light. He looked up.

In a small clearing in the forest-sky stood a big, dark brown tabby tom. Even from where he stood on the earth, Shadowpaw could see his unusually long claws digging into the sky-earth.

"Tigerstar..." He breathed, placing his front paws up against the wood. The cat in the sky nodded and whispered something. The voice echoed in Shadowpaw's head long after Tigerstar had spoken, "Come to me."

Shadowpaw shook his head. "I can't."

The tabby tom nodded sadly, though he was still smiling broadly. It occurred to Shadowpaw that he wasn't really sad; he needed him for something.

"What do you want?" Shadowpaw wanted to demand, but his voice came in the same calm whisper as before, and so did Tigerstar's when he answered.

"I want to live."

Shadowpaw tried to pull away from the glowing poll, but he found he couldn't move. The earth-light emanated from the poll, himself and the ground blinded him and he wanted to close his eyes, but he couldn't.

Tigerstar was winning, and this time there was no fire to save ThunderClan.

-----

Amberheart shrank back as Metalstar advanced on her. Rigidpaw, the fire and Liquiformash closed off any possible escape routes as the ThunderClan leader moved forwards, claws raised. She waved her claws through the fire so that they glowed with heat, then swung her paw towards the cowering warrior.

"Stop!"

Everyone looked. It was Greyclaw. He stepped forwards, placing himself between Amberheart and Metalstar. He glanced over his shoulder at Amberheart, who was shaking her head desperately, then looked back at Metalstar who was smiling happily. "It's me. Whatever you need, I have it, not Amberheart."

Metalstar chucked. He'd made a good effort, one had to admit. "Let's see if you're telling the truth."


	24. The Elixir of Life

**CLANLIFE**

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead._

**THE ELIXIR OF LIFE - ShadowClan Camp - Moonset **

Greyclaw was scared, but he refused to show it and kept his features stony, which actually made him look petrified, but Metalstar seemed to enjoy it. He wasn't sure if that was good or bad.

The BoneClan leader smiled, waving her claws through the fire so that they changed colors in the intense heat, then she swung the four metalic blades across Greyclaw's side. At first he felt nothing, but pain shocked through his body as he saw the blood welling up in the four perfectly straight lines Metalstar had cut in his side.

When the ThunderClan warrior finally managed to tear his gaze from his bleeding wound he looked up at Metalstar, who was staring at her paw in disbelief. The claws on the paw she had scratched him with were golden, bright and dazzling in the earth-glow. "He... was right." She whispered.

The white she-cat took a step back, her eyes still locked on Metalstar in awe. Slowly she shook her head as if that would clear the image, but it was real. Her gaze finally moved back up to Greyclaw. "Who are you?" She breathed.

Greyclaw was stunned. Amberheart was stunned. Smoothwater was stunned. Riverstar was stunned, even Liquiformash, Rigidpaw, Metalstar and the white she-cat could not believe what had happened. Those who were not from BoneClan didn't even understand it.

Amberheart watched as Greyclaw slowly and unsurely replied to the question, explaining that he was the son of Stormfur, son of Graystar and Mistyfoot, daughter of Bluestar. Since they had both descended from ThunderClan cats, Greyclaw's parents had given him to ThunderClan while keeping his siblings, all of whom had died in the flood.

Metalstar nodded. "True blood." She said softly, knowingly. "It runs in your veins. Your body is the sacred cup, the dish we will drink from and have eternal life."

Greyclaw turned his head, lapping up the blood from his side. It was horrible; the scent of his own blood filled his mouth, at first, but then it faded and was replaced by sweetness. He heard Amberheart gasp and utter a soft sob and Metalstar stop abruptly, but he didn't understand. It didn't matter, though, the drink was delicious. He lapped up more, forgetting it was his own blood and if he still knew he wouldn't care. But now he didn't know about anything, just the blood, the delicious, sweet drink that he was drinking. The true blood, the real blood. Finally, something was real.

Amberheart watched in despair as Greyclaw lapped up his blood. Metalstar stopped in her tracks, shocked. The grey tom was glowing with the earth-glow too, his feet rising slightly off the ground though he appeared unaware of any change. Her beloved friend was lost, lost in himself. He was drinking himself! It was horrible, not just this but everything. Metalstar was horribly, Liquiformash was horrible, Rigidpaw was horrible, and the two vegetable cats staring dumbly at Greyclaw were horrible. The white she-cat staring at him was also horrible, and Amberheart herself was horrible for not being able to bring herself to do anything to stop him.

The earth-glow was getting brighter, thought Greyclaw hardly noticed, but now he did notice that he was rising. He tore himself from the wound which was still gushing blood.

Through the barrier of blinding white light surrounding him, Greyclaw could make out the forms of Metalstar and Amberheart, watching in awe as he rose.

"Greyclaw..." Amberheart's pained whisper reached him, making him wish he could go back down to her. But he was rising, floating upwards towards the sky. He looked up. Above him lay the forest in the sky, the tops of the trees stood out as clearly as the cats gathering below them. They were waiting for him, Greyclaw realized.

"Amberheart!" He called, twisting around. The ground was farther away now, and every moment he was getting closer and closer to the sky. "Amberheart! Oh, StarClan help me!"

He felt himself stop abruptly, then slowly continue his voyage upwards. Turning his grey head, the ThunderClan warrior looked back up at the sky. It was close, too close to do anything about it. He couldn't stop. Greyclaw squeezed his eyes shut, wiling this to be just a bad dream. But it wasn't a bad dream, it was real. It was as real as the forest sky above him and the cat with the metal claws beneath him. It was as real as Tigerstar and the Hellcats and BoneClan. It was as real as the white she-cat, as him, as Amberheart. It had all always been real, he realized, but it was different and shouldn't be real. It was magic. There was no purely logical explanation for it, yet it was true, it was real. This magic was wrong, though; it wasn't supposed to be, yet StarClan was part of it. Perhaps there was more to this ancient Clan in the sky. The cats in Silverpelt.

"Silverpelt..."

Again he stopped in mid-air, the light around him weakening slightly. Something was happening, he though, but when he looked back down Metalstar and Amberheart were still staring at him with the same amazed expressions as before. Maybe it was Greyclaw who had done something, then.

He felt himself begin to move again. "Silverpelt." The light flickered, but it kept moving this time. The HellCats, he thought, they must be afraid of StarClan; they were opposite forces, good and evil. Of course!

"Starclan!" He hollered. "Silverpelt! Moonstone!"

The light around him was flickering, giving him quick glimpses of the long fall back to the glowing earth below.

I can't die, he reminded himself, twisting to lick the blood from his side. "Starclan..." Lick. "Mothermouth..." Lick. "Fourtrees..." Lick. "Silverpelt..." Then he fell. The ground zoomed at him, as if it was reaching up to meet him. He landed hard with a lock crack as his ribs, legs and back snapped. His skull collided hard with the ground and there was another smash. An attempted ragged breath told him his broken ribs had torn his lungs. Greyclaw closed his eyes and waited. The pain sank away and he felt his bones moving beneath his skin, replacing themselves properly in his body. Opening his eyes, Greyclaw heaved a breath and glanced down at his side. The wound Metalstar had given him was gone, though a scar ran down his side.

Slowly the grey tom got to his paws and stood to face Metalstar, who was staring at him incredulously. Her eyes shifted suddenly to look past him and Greyclaw stumbled to the side towards Amberheart, who immediately pressed her muzzle against his fur.

"I was so worried." She sobbed.

Greyclaw calmly groomed her fur, though he stopped as he realized it was getting brighter. Much brighter, in fact. The earth-glow had intensified so that it was almost as radiant as the sun. Glowing shapes were now rising from it, floating upwards towards the forest-sky.

"StarClan..."

One of the shapes stopped on the surface and turned towards Greyclaw. It leaned forwards and touched it's nose to Greyclaw's.

"Well done, son." He purred.

"Greystar- Dad!" Said Greyclaw, turning away from Amberheart. He looked around. The shapes rising everywhere were the forms of the cats of StarClan, cats who had formerly fought for and under the cats of Silverpelt. "Don't go..."

Greystar smiled and turned to watch a cat approaching him. He glanced quickly back to Greyclaw and smiled at his son for one last time. "I have to go fight my battle. You fight yours."

The other cat padded over to them. It was Jumppaw, as young and beautiful as she had been in life. "I'll miss you, Greyclaw."

He nodded weakly. "I love you both."

They purred and looked at each other, their feet rising off the ground. Greyclaw took a step forwards as if to stop them, but then stopped and smiled up at them.

"We'll see you again, someday." Said Jumppaw.

Greyclaw nodded, but couldn't trust himself to speak.

-----

Tigerstar hissed and the conection broke, Shadowpaw felt as if some invisible force was pressing him hard against the ground. Around him cat spirits were rising towards the sky, breaking through the barrier that had blocked them from entering before. They descended to the ground in the sky and turned on the cats there.

One cat glowed like fire as it landed beside Tigerstar, who swung around to face it. The former ShadowClan leader's voice still echoed in Shadowpaw's head when he next spoke, "Firestar!" He spat, "I though I'd seen the end of you."

Firestar smiled bravely. "You might've, if you hadn't forgotten one very important thing."

"And what is that?" Demanded Tigerstar, advancing on the cat who had been his mortal enemy in life.

Firestar would have laughed if this hadn't been such a serious situation. "Why, I'm Firestar!"

With a particularly ferocious growl, Tigerstar leaped at Firestar.

Shadowpaw turned and fled from the sight of the two cats fighting. Outside Carrionplace the WindClan cats seemed to be noticing the battle in the sky as well. They were falling away from the RiverClan and ThunderClan cats, looking around nervously and unsurely. Redclaw was dead and now StarClan had returned and was battling with these cats. Though they had never heard the name before, a word suddenly sprang into the head of every cat present at the battle.

"HellCats."

This was Metalstar's version on StarClan, and was just as real as they were. This was what separated Metalstar from Scourge; belief. While she did not believe in StarClan she trusted in a more sinister Clan, though it was just as powerful.

Below the conflicting religions in the sky, the WindClan cats seemed to realize that they had been going against everything they had believed in their lifetime. They had done the worst to break the ancient warrior code; not betraying only their Clan, but every Clan there ever was. They had betrayed StarClan.


	25. Home is Where the Heart is

**CLANLIFE **

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead._

**HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS - Hills Beyond - Dawn **

It should be sunrise, but the sun was not rising. The ground was bright enough to be a substitute, but the real sun was hidden somewhere behind the forest-sky that stretched overhead, disappearing into the distance where the sky met the ground.

Since it had appeared in the sky, Darkpaw had refused to rest. No one had hunted that whole night, and now standing on the hills at what should be the break of day, Darkpaw could see cats in the distance. Dead cats, living cats, spirit cats rising to the sky to join the battle now raging overhead.

"Darkpaw?"

"Yes, Patchpelt?"

Patchpelt found the thin she-cat apprentice had changed much since they had first been assigned to investigate Carrionplace. She was now quiet and reserved, keeping far off to the side or ahead of the group while Patchpelt walked ahead with Whitestar.

"I'm worried about you. You seem so... different."

Darkpaw sighed and looked away. "Don't worry."

-----

The battle raged on, WindClan turning against BoneClan, changing the odds dramatically. Many WindClan warriors went down, however, at the vicious claws of Metalstar's warriors. Morningflower, Bluepelt and Ashfoot were among the WindClan cats slain at the claws of BoneClan, outraged by the Clan who had betrayed them at the sight of StarClan returning to the sky.

Metalstar herself had disappeared. Truth was, she'd fled back to the camp, having never thought such a thing would happen to change her plan.

Meanwhile, Greyclaw and Amberheart fought side by side, as did Riverstar and Smoothwater while Jumppaw and Greystar did the same above them in the sky.

-----

It was a long time, perhaps a day had passed, he did not know, when Lionstar finally awoke. He could hardly remeber the battle with Metalstar that had put him out of action for so long, but could feel the presence of another cat beside him. Turning he saw a cat with the same glow as the earth. Everything seemed to click into place in his mind, even things he had never known, then the cat was gone, floating upwards towards the forest-sky where it passed the barrier made by the HellCats and descended into the forest above.

The ThunderClan leader looked around, seeing all the WindClan cats who had turned against BoneClan. There weren't very many of them anymore, and his StarClan given knowledge supplied why; they had realized what they'd done and had turned against BoneClan.

He dove into battle, shoving the BoneClan warrior Deathnote from Twotails, who bobbed her head gratefully and limped away, leaving him to deal with the white tom alone.

-----

Time passed and the battle went on. It must've been the longest fight ever in the history of the Clans. The cats knew the sun was setting for the fourth time since the battle had begun, but they could not see it.

-----

Greyclaw and Amberheart found themselves fighting their way closer and closer to the BoneClan camp, which was the northern most point of ShadowClan territory.

Padding cautiously through the enemy territory, Amberheart suddenly caught the scent of an approaching cat. "Someone's coming." She hissed to Greyclaw, muscles tensing.

She leaped, stopping just short of Lionstar who froze in his tracks. The two of them stared at each other for a moment, looking relieved.

"She's there, isn't she?" Asked Lionstar, nodding towards the camp.

Greyclaw nodded. "We saw her run off that way after the white cat..." He shuddered. "...died."

After Greystar and Jumppaw had left them, the white cat had gone rigid and had started mumbling something. She had turned on Metalstar, who got pretty badly scratched up before the white cat had suddenly dropped dead. Then the BoneClan leader had turned and ran.

Lionstar nodded. "We have to find her." He said, turning and continuing towards BoneClan camp.

Amberheart and Greyclaw exchanged worried looks, then hurried after their leader.

-----

Darkpaw stopped at the edge of the Thunderpath. From here she could see Carrionplace, as bright as daylight in the earth-glow. to the east was the battlefield, bodied scattered the ground along with cats wrestling, fighting and dieing.

"This is... horrible." Said Patchpelt softly, shuddering. Whitestar looked worried at first, but put on a brave face before turning back to his Clan, who looked even more terrified then he had moments ago.

"This is out chance to get out territory back, to fight for what is ours, for what we should not have given up in the first place. Are you ready to take back what has been stolen from us?"

A chorus of approval sounded from the ShadowClan cats plus the four others accompanying them.

"Are you ready to fight for StarClan?"

Another round of approving cries.

"Then let us do just that!"

With that, they charged into the battle, leaping at the BoneClan warriors to aid the exhausted cats in the other Clans. As tiered as they were, the ShadowClan party was not nearly as exhausted as the cats who had been fighting here for days on end.

"Darkpaw!"

She looked up, catching sight of Cloudysky fighting off a BoneClan warrior before hurrying over to her. She looked at him coldly and turned away, though he bounded up to her side. "Hey, where's Mudpaw?"

Darkpaw swung around to face him, her unsheathed claws digging into the earth. "My boyfriend is dead, and so is your girlfriend."

"What?" He turned, following Darkpaw's gaze over his shoulder to Featherheart's mangled body, lying dead on the glowing ground. "No!"

Darkpaw felt no satisfaction in his reaction, but felt sorry for him instead. She knew he had liked Featherheart, and remembered how she'd felt when Mudpaw had died. "I'm sorry, Cloudysky, I really am."

-----

Patchpelt leaped forwards, pinning Tearlife roughly to the ground. This was the black and white she-cat who she'd fought back at Carrionplace during her investigation with Mudpaw, Darkpaw, Flash and Blood.

The she-cat seemed to recognize her too, and smiled and the sight of her. She rolled suddenly to the side, knocking Patchpelt off balance. She hopped backwards, then charged forwards again, her claws piercing the enemy warrior's flesh.

She squealed and backed away, hissing, but Patchpelt charged again. This time reinforced claws came up to meet her, but Patchpelt dodged them with nothing more then a shallow cut along her back. Her claws sank deep into Tearlife's fur until her squeals of pain had been reduced to strained gasps, then stopped completely.

She looked around, satisfied; StarClan's warriors were winning.


	26. The Five Clans of the Forest

**CLANLIFE**

_This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead. _

_Our story begins one moon later._

**THE FIVE CLANS OF THE FOREST - BoneClan Camp - Moonhigh **

Since the time when the four Clans of the big cats roamed the forest there had been many battles between them, but rare was it that the Clans banded together to confront a common enemy. As far back as most cats could remember, the last battle had been the one against BloodClan lead by the horrible Scourge who Firestar had put to his death.

Now the Clans had reunited again against another enemy who had come to the Clans with their own army along with them. For this rare event the four Clans of the forest fought side-by-side to defend their home.

-----

Three grim cats found themselves padding towards BoneClan camp. They were already far from the battle where the other cats from their own Clan along with RiverClan, WindClan and ShadowClan were fighting.

Greyclaw turned to Amberheart and smiled weakly, trying to reassure his friend. Lionstar strode ahead of them, wanting to keep his grim face from the two Warriors behind him. He wished he could kill Metalstar himself, but he knew if the job could be done by one cat the BoneClan leader would be long since dead.

The cats stopped just outside the camp where there was a thin space between two patches of the undergrowth encircling the camp, which was a shallow depression in the earth.

The threesome passed through the opening into the clearing. Dens constructed in a similar way as the ones in ThunderClan were bordered the camp while in the middle stood a tall, rigid stone jutting from the ground. Beside it was a thin hole traveling straight down into the earth.

"That's her den." Said Amberheart, breaking the cold silence that had fallen over the cats of ThunderClan.

Lionstar nodded but said nothing as he stepped up to the hole and peered down into it.

His orange head cut off the last of the light illuminating the inside of the cave, but he could feel and scent something there. There was a movement at the bottom of the pit and two cold yellow eyes turned up to him, flashing in the darkness.

Metalstar.

He could hear her too; the black she-cat's breath was coming in fast, shallow gasps. He might've felt sorry for her; cornered in her cave like the mice she hunted, yet Lionstar felt no remorse. Instead, anger filled him and he wished he could dive down into the cave and tear her, but he didn't.

"Come out!" He commanded. "What more do you have to lose?"

He felt Metalstar's muscles tense and saw her eyes narrow. "My life." She spat.

"What kind of life would you live in a hole?"

Metalstar shifted her position, Lionstar guessed she was lying down on the cold dirt floor, but instead she shot upwards towards him, metal claws flashing in the light that filled the opening as the orange tom pulled away.

Metalic daggers cut easily though his flesh and he hissed, stumbling backwards and blinking away blood running from his forhead down into his eyes.

"Lionstar!"

A grey shape moved swiftly though the air, ramming itself into Metalstar's side. She hissed and reared, golden claws slicing through empty air as Greyclaw moved swiftly away before attacking again.

-----

Firestar staggered to the side, panting hard as Tigerstar lunged at him again. The cats were quite evenly matched, though Firestar found he was tiring faster. Life below had not been easy, and living in the Underworld so long had made Tigerstar a lump of bone, muscle and claw. Firestar's physical condition was no better then it had been when he'd died.

The ginger tom felt the HellCat's claws rake his side again. Firestar swung his paw, cutting three shallow marks in Tigerstar's underbelly.

A glance to his up and the living cats' down told him that his battle against Tigerstar was bringing him over towards ShadowClan camp, where he could see Metalstar leaping out of a hole in the ground and- A dark brown paw collided with the side of his head, knocking him violently to the ground. Claws cut into the back of his neck, but then a thought came to the former ThunderClan leader; 'How can I die if I'm already dead?' but he already knew the answer, and he'd rather die again then to go back under.

-----

Metalstar spun around, claws tearing at the grey ThunderClan warrior's chest. He leaned down, lapping up the blood with his tongue. Once again the BoneClan leader lunged forwards and Greyclaw hopped back quickly, a shallow cut appearing on the tip of his tongue. He decided not to try that again; last time it hadn't done much good either, besides, it tasted too good anyways.

He jumped at a cry from under the rock. He looked up instantly to see Amberheart fighting claw-to-claw with Metalstar while Lionstar's dead body lay on the ground nearby. Greyclaw leaped forwards, claws raking Metalstar's side. She spun around, knocking him to the ground with massive claw marks etched across his face. Bloody and exhausted, Greyclaw attempted to lunge at the BoneClan leader again, who was momentarily distracted by him and received a blow from Amberheart, who hopped quickly away from the other she-cat.

-----

Claws raked the empty air, cutting through nothingness instead of their enemy; Tigerstar, who had leaped back and tackled the handsome ginger owner of the claws and had pinned him to the ground.

Firestar hissed, lunging forwards at Tigerstar, who smiled victoriously and raised his own abnormally long claws. "Firestar, I've waited so long for this moment. Too many moons have passed since I've seen you suffer, but after this I will never get the chance again, so look up. Now."

The former ThunderClan leader raised his head, looking up past his enemy's head to the ground above where Lionstar lay dead on the ground with only the exhausted Greyclaw and Amberheart to protect him. "No..." Gasped Firestar, focusing back on Tigerstar. "No..."

Tigerstar smiled and leaned down so his muzzle was hardly an inch away from the ginger tom's, then he laughed. He raised his head to the ground above and howled with laughter at the sight of his lifelong enemy, now lying helpless beneath his paws.

-----

Amberheart gasped as Metalstar let her go, turning instead to Greyclaw. Again her claws pierced his flesh, digging into his chest. An anguish cry erupted from his throat as the metal sank in deeper and deeper, but he couldn't die. He felt the black she-cat's sandpapery tongue graze his torso. He felt her step back off of him, but saw nothing; his vision was filled with dots of black and white, then occasional flashes of color that made him dizzy and stopped him from moving. Somewhere that sounded far away he heard Amberheart's cry, "No! Greyclaw, wake up! Please!"

But he didn't want to wake up; he would have loved to lie there with his headache forever, never having to move again. Ever...

-----

The bloody ginger tom watched in horror as Greyclaw dropped to the ground and Metalstar drank the elixir and he listened as Tigerstar laughed and laughed while Firestar could do nothing but lie at his mercy. Finally he squeezed his eyes shut, unable to take anymore.

"StarClan, help me!"

-----

Amberheart watched in horror as Metalstar stood back, glancing at her and smiling a smile that showed her bloody teeth. A sob caught in her throat and the Siamese warrior shook her head, horrified. No, this couldn't be happening, but it was. Metalstar swallowed, the elixir of life making it's way down her throat and she became immortal. Suddenly the black warrior froze, her body going rigid. Her pupils narrowed and she turned to look straight at Amberheart. A wheezing cough escaped the BoneClan leader and her head lolled to the side, resting on her shoulder. "It's..." She coughed again and this time blood splattered the ground and ran down her chin, dribbling onto her torso. "...poison." Then she keeled over, her body convulsing violently as her eyes rolled back in her head until suddenly it stopped and she was dead.

-----

Suddenly the laughter stopped and Firestar could feel the brown tom's breath hot against his face. "What did you do?" He demanded, spraying the ginger tom beneath him with spittle.

"N-"

"We won."

Firestar turned his head to see a brown and grey tom standing a few tail lengths away, staring defiantly at Tigerstar. He stood for a moment while the two cats took in what they were seeing, then he leaped forwards, knocking Tigerstar to the ground. Firestar rolled over and clamped his jaws around the back of Tigerstar's neck, then jerked him once, twice, three times until finally his enemy lay limp.

"Ridge..."

The two victorious tomcats turned to see Metalstar who had appeared behind them. She was standing, staring at the brown and grey tom with wide, betrayed eyes. He turned to face her, looking sad. "I'd say I'm sorry, but I fight for the right side now."

And before she could reply, Metalstar was gone, fading back into the underworld as did Tigerstar. Firestar turned to Ridge and nodded his head in thanks and dismissal. The younger tom nodded understandingly and padded off to celebrate with the other cats of StarClan.

Appearing in the spot where Metalstar had stood moments ago was a confused looking Lionstar. When he caught sight of the ginger tom he looked greatly relieved.

"Firestar!" He breathed, touching his nose to the former ThunderClan leader's.

Firestar smiled. "It's been a while since I've last seen you. A lot has happened since then. Thank you for saving me."

Lionstar nodded. "Yes, but I don't understand. Everyone seems to have found something in this battle; but for me it's just another fight."

The ginger tom sighed and shook his head, seeming more disappointed then understanding as Lionstar had expected him to be.

"What?"

"Oh, I'm sorry you feel that way, Lionstar. You are a good, strong cat but you do not know how to piece together a puzzle when everything you need is right in front of you."

This annoyed the orange tom; was Firestar telling him that he was stupid? "But, Firestar-"

The older tom shook his head and closed his eyes. "Someday you will understand. You're still young while I am now old and wise, it will take time for you to learn certain lessons. I'd give you some pointers, but in my day I was more like Greyclaw. Still, I'm glad my best friend's son has turned into such a spectacular warrior, and I'm just as glad that my own son has turned into one too."

"Wait!" But he was already back, sitting upright with Greyclaw and Amberheart at his sides.

"We need to go back now, Lionstar." Said Greyclaw, getting to his paws and turning towards the entrance of the camp.

Amberheart nodded and stood too. "He's right. We won the battle, it's over."

Lionstar nodded and followed them out, but stopped just before he left. Turning his head to the sky, the big orange tom saw that the forest of StarClan was gone now. He sighed, feeling now as if it had all happened so fast. One of the stars in the night sky lit up suddenly, touching the now-dark ground with a flash of light.

Lionstar smiled. "Dad."

**A/N:**_ Who is Ridge? How did Metalstar become who she is?You'll find out in the prequel to **CLANLIFE**, which I will start soon. I really hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it. With that, thank you to everyone who read this and much love to those who reviewed. _

_This tale of love, betrayal, ancient enemies, friends, hardships and war is dedicated to all the cats who inspiered the cats of ThunderClan; Catame (Patchpelt), Amber (Amberheart), Grey (Greyclaw), Misty (Mistyfur), Mutant (Coldpelt), Farley (Orangestripe), Paper (Daytail), Socks (Cloudfoot), Peaches (Flamecloud), Tiger (Tigerstripe), Pouncer (Darkpaw), Spike (Mudpaw), and Rascal (Greyvoice). _

_Greyclaw x Amberheart forever! (Not in real life, though.)_


	27. CLANLIFE Characters

**A/N: **_This is the first of many character lists I have for **CLANLIFE**. This one contains no spoilers, but the others do and for that reason will not be posted. The names of the main characters will be underlined for conviniance. The cats of Thunderclan with names next to them are ones based on real cats. This also lists ALL the cats; some won't even appear in the story._

**LEADER - THUNDERCLAN**

Lionstar: (Benny) Big orange tom (Apprentice: Mudpaw)

**DEPUTY - THUNDERCLAN**

Mistyfur: (Misty) She-cat with thick tortishell fur

**MEDICINE CAT - THUNDERCLAN**

Snowtail: A pretty white she-cat with a fluffy tail

**WARRIORS - THUNDERCLAN**

Patchpelt: (Catame) Colorful young tortishell she-cat

Greyclaw: (Grey) Friendly tom with thick grey fur

Amberheart: (Amber) Pretty siamese she-cat

Coldpelt: (Mutant) Battle-scarred grey and white tom (Apprentice: Greypaw)

Orangestripe: (Farley) Big orange tom

Daytail: (Paper) Tail-less white tom (Apprentice: Cloudypaw)

Cloudfoot: (Socks) Tortishell tom with white paws

Flamecloud: (Peaches) White tom with orange spots

Tigerstripe: (Tiger) Tortishell tom (Apprentice: Darkpaw)

**APPRENTICES - THUNDERCLAN**

Darkpaw: (Pouncer) A small tortishell she-cat (Mentor: Tigerstripe)

Mudpaw: (Spike) Young siamese tom (Mentor: Lionstar)

Greypaw: (Rascal) A mute, big grey tom (Mentor: Coldpelt)

Cloudypaw: (Christian's cat) White tom (Mentor: Daytail)

**QUEENS - THUNDERCLAN**

Rustpelt: (Tabby) White she-cat with orange and black spots (Mate: Flamecloud)

Lightfoot: White she-cat (Mate: Tigerstripe)

**KITS - THUNDERCLAN**

none

**ELDERS - THUNDERCLAN**

Fadedlight: Old grey she-cat. Retiered deputy.

Shorttail: Tortishell tom. Lost half of his tail in battle.

No-see: Ancient black tom, lost vision in battle.

---

**LEADER - RIVERCLAN**

Riverstar: Blue-grey she-cat with dark grey spots (Apprentice: Cloudpaw)

**DEPUTY - RIVERCLAN**

Stonefur: Big grey tom (Apprentice: Smoothpaw)

**MEDICINE CAT - RIVERCLAN**

Silverstream: Bright grey she-cat

**WARRIORS - RIVERCLAN**

Wetfur: Mischevious tom with thick grey fur

Sandstorm: Sand-colored she-cat (Apprentice: Featherpaw)

Redtail: Amber-colored tom with a fluffy tail (Apprentice: Dustpaw)

Willowpelt: Very pale grey she-cat (Apprentice: Swiftpaw)

Dashfoot: Fast siamese tom

Barkface: Small brown tom

Darkstream: Sleek, dark brown she-cat (Apprentice: Ravenpaw)

**APPRENTICES - RIVERCLAN**

Dustpaw: Dark brown tom (Mentor: Redtail)

Swiftpaw: White tom with brown stripes (Mentor: Willowpelt)

Featherpaw: Fast grey she-cat (Mentor: Sandstorm)

Ravenpaw: Sleek black she-cat with a white tipped tail (Mentor: Darkstream)

Cloudpaw: Long-haired white tom (Mentor: Riverstar)

Smoothpaw: Dark colored sphinx tom (Mentor: Stonefur)

**QUEENS - RIVERCLAN**

Gentilflower: Pale calico she-cat (Mate: Barkface)

Spottedleaf: Pretty tortishell she-cat (Mate: Whitestorm)

Jumprose: Orange she-cat (Mate: Redtail)

Snowsong: Long-haired white she-cat (Mate: Stonefur)

**KITS - RIVERCLAN**

Rootkit: Brown tom (Mother: Gentilflower)

Frostkit: White she-cat with a few tortishell markings (Mother: Spottedleaf)

Rubykit: Flame-colored she-cat (Mother: Jumprose)

Copperkit: Dark orange tom (Mother: Jumprose)

Hazekit: Dark grey tom (Mother: Snowsong)

Ashenkit: Grey and white she-cat (Mother: Snowsong)

Platinumkit: A white tom with grey paws (Mother: Snowsong)

**ELDERS - RIVERCLAN**

Snapbone: Retiered warrior with a broken paw Tornear: Old grey tom with a torn ear

Tigervoice: Ancient orange she-cat

---

**LEADER - WINDCLAN**

Tallstar: Black and white tom

**DEPUTY - WINDCLAN**

Redclaw: Big black tom (Apprentice: Firepaw)

**MEDICINE CAT - WINDCLAN**

Brightheart: Pretty calico she-cat

**WARRIORS - WINDCLAN**

Longtail: A white she-cat with a long tail (Apprentice: Quickpaw)

Whitestorm: Big white tom.

Nightsong: Black tom with a very ugly voice

Twotails: Calico she-cat with two tails

Bluepelt: Blue-grey tom (Apprentice: Gingerpaw)

Wolfclaw: Grey tom with abnormaly long claws Ashfoot: Grey she-cat

Morningflower: Tortishell she-cat (Apprentice: Crowpaw)

**APPRENTICES - WINDCLAN**

Crowpaw: Small black she-cat (Mentor: Morningflower)

Firepaw: Ginger tom (Mentor: Redclaw)

Quickpaw: Fast white and brown tom (Mentor: Longtail)

Gingerpaw: Pretty ginger she-cat (Mentor: Bluepelt)

**QUEENS - WINDCLAN**

Brightheart: Kind black and white she-cat (Mate: Whitestorm)

Sunsong: Pale orange she-cat (Mate: Wolfclaw)

Littlecloud: Fluffy white she-cat (Mate: Redclaw)

**KITS - WINDCLAN**

Jumpkit: Pretty tortishell she-cat (Mother: Spottedleaf)

Atramentouskit: Black she-cat (Mother: Brightheart)

Obsidiankit: Black and white tom (Mother: Brightheart)

Barbedkit: Orange tom with long claws (Mother: Sunsong)

Burnkit: A dark orange she-cat (Mother: Littlecloud)

Vermilionkit: A flame-colored tom (Mother: Littlecloud)

Ivorykit: White she-kit (Mother: Littlecloud)

**ELDERS - WINDCLAN**

Dullclaw: Grey tom. Retiered warrior.

No-speed: Pretty calico she-cat with disabled hind legs

Ancientpelt: Ancient ginger tom

---

**LEADER - BONECLAN**

Metalstar: Black she-cat with reinforced metal claws

**DEPUTY - BONECLAN**

Bloodtooth: Bright ginger tom (Apprentice: Battlepaw)

**MEDICINE CAT - BONECLAN**

Littleclaw: Scrawny white tom, CarrionGuard

**BLACKSMITH - BONECLAN**

Liquiformash: A dirty grey tom (Apprentice: Rigidpaw)

**WARRIORS - BONECLAN**

Deathnote: A eerie white tom with a high-pitched voice

Killcat: A pretty grey and black she-cat Spillblood: Black tom with orange stripes

Sixclaw: Tortishell tom with six toes on each paw

Crushcat: A heavy white tom (Apprentice: Tearpaw)

Ripfang: Brown she-cat with abnormaly long teeth

Sandstone: Strong sand-colored she-cat

Deathpad: White tom with strangely thick pads

Tearlife: Black and white she-cat, CarrionGuard

Stonestrength: Heavy grey and brown tom

Bloodstone: Bight red-orange she-cat

Swiftkill: White and orange tom (Apprentice: Fangpaw)

Dogslayer: Heavy blue-grey tom, CarrionGuard

Quickclaw: Light grey she-cat with dark grey stripes

Deatheye: Black tom with bright yellow eyes, CarrionGuard

Snapclaw: Quick-tempered white she-cat

Nightpain: Orange-red she-cat with black paws

**APPRENTICES - BONECLAN**

Ashpaw: Pale grey she-cat (Mentor: Spillblood)

Killpaw: Black she-cat with grey stripes (Mentor: Sandstone)

Tearpaw: Small white tom (Mentor: Crushcat)

Fangpaw: Orange-red tom (Mentor: Swiftkill)

Battlepaw: Calico she-cat (Mentor: Bloodtooth)

Rigidpaw: Small black and grey she-cat (Mentor: Liquidformash)

**QUEENS - BONECLAN**

Blackflower: Plain black she-cat (Mate: Bloodtooth)

Raincloud: Blue-grey she-cat (Mate: Stonestrength)

**KITS - BONECLAN**

Nightkit: Black tom Scratchkit: A black and grey she-cat Fearkit: A dark grey tom

**ELDERS - BONECLAN**

_Most BoneClan elders are killed for extra fresh kill, resulting as a lack of elders. The only elder that was not killed by the Clan is their retiered leader._

Forgottenpain: Battle-scarred white she-cat

---

_Most ShadowClan cats are cat-show runnaways who discovered the Clan life much more suitable for their wild personalities. They ran away and joined ShadowClan, but unfortunately after BoneClan attacked them very few of the original ShadowClan cats are still alive._

**SHADOWCLAN - LEADER**

Whitestar: Purebread abyssinian tom with a white muzzle

**SHADOWCLAN - DEPUTY**

Leopardspot: A flame-colored tom with black spots (Apprentice: Sunpaw)

**SHADOWCLAN - MEDICINE CAT**

Curledleaf: A tabby tom with ears that curl back

**SHADOWCLAN - WARRIORS**

Greyfoot: Tall balinese tom

Softpelt: A fluffy birman she-cat

Nightgaze: A black tom with yellow eyes (Apprentice: Snowpaw)

Flamewater: A cornish rex/abyssinian tom

**SHADOWCLAN - APPRENTICES**

Snowpaw: White egyptian mau she-cat (Mentor: Nightgaze)

Sunpaw: Orange LaPerm she-cat with a white underbelly (Mentor: Leopardspot)

**SHADOWCLAN - QUEENS**

Darkpelt: Black she-cat, was the only queen to survive BoneClan (Mate: Dead)

Chillfoot: A tortishell maine coon she-cat (Mate: Leopardspot)

**SHADOWCLAN - KITS**

All dead

**SHADOWCLAN - ELDERS**

All dead

---

**LONERS - ROUGES**

Annihilation: Massive white she-cat with black tiger-like stripes

Scar: Big tortishell tom

Blood: Thin albino tom

Snapbone: Mad WindClan deputy

Princess: Light sand-colored she-cat, kitty-pet

Shadow: Black-and-white tom, Princess's mate

Stella: White she-cat, daughter of Princess, kitty-pet

Midnight: Black tom, son of Princess, kitty-pet

Flash: Orange tabby tom, run away kitty-pet

Bone: White tom, lives on a farm hunting mice

---


End file.
